Romantic Discoveries Recordings

Piano music of J.P.E. (1805-1900) and Emil Hartmann (1836-98)
John Kersey, piano
RDR CD43

Total time: 74 mins 11 secs

Emil Hartmann (1836-98)
3 Mazurkas, op 28
1. Moderato (2’20”) 2. Vivo (2’19”) 3. Allegretto (2’21”)

Johann Peter Emilius Hartmann (1805-1900)
Studier og Novelletter (Studies and Novellettes), op 65:
4. Moderato con espressione (2’50”) 5. Allegro appassionato (1’21”) 6. Moderato (2’14”) 7. Allegro agitato, con passione (00’54”) 8. Moderato pastorale (1’41”) 9. Allegro (1’47”) 10. Allegro vivo scherzando (2’07”) 11. Moderato (1’53”) 12. Allegretto grazioso (1’43”)

Emil Hartmann (edition: Denis Waelbroeck)
Sonata in G minor (unfinished):
13. Allegro (7’53”) 14. Andante (3’19”) 15. Finale (2’55”)

Johann Peter Emilius Hartmann
Klaverstykker fra ældre og nyere Tid (Piano pieces from older and newer times), op 74:
16. Allegro moderato, con passione (4’39”) 17. Allegro energico, non vivace (6’20”) 18. Andantino sostenuto (3’23”) 19. Allegretto moderato (3’47”) 20. Allegro moderato e cantabile (4’32”)

Emil Hartmann
21. Im Mondschein – Introduction und Waltzer, op 34 (9’34”)
22. Jean de France – Sarabande (2’44”)

We are grateful to Dr. Denis Waelbroeck for supplying copies of scores and his editions for use in this recording.

This disc presents two generations – father and son – of the gifted Danish Hartmann dynasty, a family of musicians and creative artists that included, as well as those featured on this disc, such names as Niels Gade and August Winding (sons-in-law of J.P.E.), and in time Niels Viggo Bentzon (great-grandson of J.P.E.)

Johann Peter Emilius Hartmann succeeded his father at the Garnisons Kirke in 1824, and thereafter was successively professor at Copenhagen University and the founding director of the Conservatoire there from 1867. His studies in Europe in 1836 brought him into contact with Chopin, Rossini, Cherubini and Spohr. In musical style he successfully fused elements of Nordic nationalism with a post-Mendelssohnian style that at its most progressive (such as in op 74) clearly looks forward to Brahms. The quality of Hartmann’s inspiration and mastery of compositional and pianistic technique was considerable, and marks him out as the leading Danish composer for the piano of his generation.

Emil Hartmann received his early training from his father and developed a successful career in his homeland and Germany, despite being somewhat eclipsed by his father’s fame. His unpublished Sonata shows a forward-looking grasp of the mid-Romantic idiom, with a powerful opening movement followed by two that were both left unfinished, interestingly when each had reached similar melodic ideas. His shorter works are gratefully written for the instrument, showing an apt grasp of the salon style of the turn of the century.