Bernhard Romberg: Cello Concerto No. 2, in D major, Op.3

Bernhard Heinrich Romberg

 (November 13, 1767 – August 13, 1841) was a German cellist and composer.

Romberg was born in Dinklage. Romberg was born in Dinklage. 

His father,AntonRomberg,playedthe bassoon and cello and gave Bernhard his first cello lessons. He first performed in public at the age of seven. In addition to touring Europe with his cousin Andreas Romberg, Bernhard Romberg also joined the Münster Court Orchestra.

Together with his cousin, he later joined the court orchestra of the Prince Elector Archbishop of Cologne in Bonn (conducted by the Kapellmeister Andrea Luchesi) in 1790, where they met the young Beethoven. Beethoven admired and respected Bernhard Romberg as a musician.[1]

Romberg made several innovations in cello design and performance. He lengthened the cello's fingerboard and flattened the side under the C string, thus giving it more freedom to vibrate.[2] He also invented what is known as the Romberg bevel, a flat section beneath the E string of the double bass that allowed the larger string to vibrate more freely. He suggested that half-size and 3/4 size cellos should be designed to make it easier for young children to play the instrument. Romberg is responsible for simplifying cello notation to only three clefs, the bass clef, the tenor clef and the treble clef. Until his time, it was common to use many clefs for multiple uses - the 18th century cellist-composer Luigi Boccherini used as many as six clefs in his compositions. Romberg is thought to be among the first cellists to perform from memory, which was a skill praised highly in his day.[2] He died in Hamburg.

It has been suggested that Romberg's cello sonata in E minor was a strong influence on the first cello sonata in E minor by Johannes Brahms.

 

Cello Concerto No. 2, in D major, Op.3

Lionel Cottet (cello), Hofer Symphoniker, Luca Bizzozero (conductor)

I. Allegro maestoso – 00:00 II. Andante grazioso – 11:29 III. Rondo. Tempo di Minuetto –17:26

 

Romberg is thought to be among the first cellists who performed from memory, which was a skill praised highly in his day. Through his many travels, Romberg helped convince critics and audiences that the cello is a solo instrument, influenced the technique and repertoire of cellists across Europe, and collected regional folk tunes to use in his compositions. To showcase his own technique, Romberg wrote 10 cello concertos. Not wanting to leave anything to chance in publishing his works, he wrote out all of his cadenzas. He also composed a concerto for two cellos as well as six concertinos, sonatas, duets, fantasias, divertimentos, and variations. It has been suggested that Romberg’s e minor sonata["https://www.youtube.com/embed/8aGtL9sZYdU" ] inspired Brahms to write his e minor sonata. That means it’s possible that without Romberg’s work, although not often played today, we would not have had that staple of cello and piano repertoire – Brahms’ Cello Sonata No. 1 in  einor,Op.38.["https://www.youtube.com/embed/gnjv7W1YNa4"] 

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Also, Romberg might be the reason we don’t have a cello concerto by Beethoven. Three years older than Beethoven, Romberg seems to have been on friendly terms with him, and Beethoven thought highly of Romberg’s playing. They played chamber music together in Bonn. When the French invaded in 1782, they are said to have escaped together on a Rhine riverboat, working as kitchen boys. These shared experiences of youth might seem enough to form a strong bond. However, in modern terms, one might say their relationship was – complicated: according to Louis Spohr, Romberg called Beethoven’s Op. 18 quartets “absurd stuff.” He’s also said to have thrown down one of the Razumovsky quartet cello parts and trampled it, saying: “That is a cello part? No one can play that music!” More disappointing to modern cellists and audiences is the story that when Beethoven offered to write Romberg a cello concerto – Romberg declined! He is supposed to have made the excuse that he only performed his own works.

 

For some, this makes Romberg an exceptionally problematic figure in cello history. However, we must keep in mind this story might be that – just a story. Either way, Romberg made cello advancements that are still felt over 250 years after his birth. (from Radioswissclassic and Cellomuseum)