Rontgen: Symphony No.9 'the Bitonal'

Brandenburgisches Staatsorchester Frankfurt, David Porcelijn

This month the extensive and successful Röntgen edition recorded on cpo continues. This new disc continues to demonstrate that Röntgen was the most imaginative composers living in Holland during the second half of the nineteenth century. During the last year of his life Röntgen experimented with tonality and composed his “bitonal” Symphony No. 9, which remained unpublished during his lifetime, but heard here, and an absolutely rewarding listening experience! The CD also includes his Symphony No. 21, a work based on a chromatic, descending melody of three 6/4 measures, and a Serenade performed on only one occasion but praised by the critics above all because of its masterful orchestration.

Röntgen:
 Symphony No. 9 'The Bitonal'
 Symphony No. 21 in A minor
 Serenade in E major