Romberg, B :: Konzert in h-moll [Concerto in b minor]

Bernhard Romberg presents the concerto in B Minor for flute and orchestra, here in a reduction for flute and piano.

'The concerto for flute and orchestra by Romberg is a tour-de-force work that exploits the technical and expressive capabilities of the instrument and foreshadows the later Romantic style. It is his Op. 17, although it is often erroneously listed as Op. 30, which is one of his several cello concertos. The scoring for strings, two oboes, two horns, two bassoons and timpani are more reflective of the orchestration of Classical-era works, although the presence of the timpani is a more unique addition.

Bernhard Romberg was a noted cellist and composer of his time. He was a court cellist in Mnster and Bonn where he met Beethoven. An indication of Romberg s growing position in the music world is that Beethoven expressed his great impression with his cello playing. Innovations in cello technique introduced by Romberg include minimizing the then wide variety of clef possibilities to the now standard bass, tenor and treble as well as designing modifications to the instrument to facilitate technique.

The bulk of Romberg s compositions are for cello, either as solo or as a featured instrument as well as numerous string works. The Flute Concerto and the Flute Quintets, Op. 1 (Flute and String Quartet) stand out as unusual suggesting that there may have been either a commission or a close friend for whom he was writing.An examination of Romberg s writing for virtuoso cello reveals his particular approach, which is for the entrance of the soloist to be given the primary theme, followed immediately by virtuosic technical passages designed to immediately impress the listener. However, Romberg does not simply write string music for the flute, as was a common approach. He clearly understood some of the idiomatic requirements of wind writing. This work is a good example of the transition in this genre from the solo-orchestra alteration of new material and familiar themes to the concerto as a vehicle to showcase the prowess of a polished performer with the orchestra for support.'

- Carol L. Shansky, 2016; Preface