The works on this album feature the Scandinavian influences that the Swedish violinist and the Norwegian composer Edvard Grieg exerted on Julius RÃ¶ntgen's music for violin and piano. Amanda Maier was RÃ¶ntgen's great love and his first wife, and Grieg was his best friend. Significantly, Edvard Grieg is represented in the first work on this release in the form of the sonata that RÃ¶ntgen composed "In Memory of Edvard Grieg." However, precisely this work is the only one on the present program that was not published during RÃ¶ntgen's lifetime. His Swedish Melodies and Dances may initially seem unassuming, but they display the highest virtuosity. They require great technical mastery from the instrumentalists with their third, sixth, and octave intervals, swift passages in the highest register, and leaps extending over several octaves. Even though the Norwegian Variations last a mere seven minutes and thus are not very lengthily dimensioned, they number among RÃ¶ntgen's best variation works. The exposition of the theme in D major is followed by eight variations in which the piano and the violin take turns in the lead role.

Tracklist:

Violin Sonata In F Major: I. Con Moto
Violin Sonata In F Major: II. Andante Quasi Fantasia
Violin Sonata In F Major: III. Vivace, Ma Non Troppo Presto
Violin Sonata In F Major: IV. Finale. Molto Passionato E Vivace
Schwedische Weisen Und Tänze: I. Moderato Ed Espressivo
Schwedische Weisen Und Tänze: II. Allegro Non Troppo
Schwedische Weisen Und Tänze: III. Andante
Schwedische Weisen Und Tänze: IV. Allegro
Schwedische Weisen Und Tänze: V. Andante
Schwedische Weisen Und Tänze: VI. Allegro
Variationen Über Ein Norwegisches Volkslied, Op. 21
Violin Sonata No. 3 In F-Sharp Minor, Op. 20: I. Allegro Non Troppo
Violin Sonata No. 3 In F-Sharp Minor, Op. 20: II. Con Animazione
Violin Sonata No. 3 In F-Sharp Minor, Op. 20: III. Agitato

UPC: 761203776924
Label: Cpo Records
Release Date: 2.7.20
Format: CD

Rontgen / Schickedanz / Breidenbach - Works for Violin & Piano 2 (CD)