Molique Violin Concertos

[tcutler]

Has anyone ever heard any of the six Molique Violin Concertos? I couldn't find any recordings. There are a couple of scores around (IMSLP), but I haven't taken the time to play through them yet. I must admit I've never heard a single piece by this composer. Is his music decent?

[Alan Howe]

I've never heard a note of them. Toskey suggests occasional similarities to Spohr, although the general impression he gives is of pretty lightweight stuff, except for No.5.

[peter_conole]

Hi all

I believe Molique composed 7 violin concertos - the last was never published. None have been recorded. A crying shame, as Toskey favours them and gives 5 and 6 in particular pretty high marks. He rates no 6 higher in terms of originality and expression than no 5. Swalin has this to say of no 5: " its coherent form and motive structures divulge a skillful compositional technique". Emery also praises the composer in his volumes on the violin concerto.

I confess to a solid interest in the composer and there is an outside chance violin concerto no 5 may feature in a semi-pro concert in this corner of the world in a year or two, but that is not saying much and I will hold my tongue until something more/less concrete can be said. Molique's cello concerto (1853) was broadcast on radio years ago and is a superb work, one that yours truly praised in the same breath as the Schumann concerto on the old Raff forums.

Strange really. Molique was a very fine violinist, but his concertante works for the instrument have been ignored. He worked hard at becoming a serious, versatile composer and produced concertante works for a variety of instruments. A fine oboe concerto (1829) has been recorded. And he produced the world's first full-scale concerto for concertina (ie, accordion) in the 1850s. This may be hard to believe, but the latter was performed on national radio here about 15 year ago.

There are other works to consider, but I can't help but feel angry re the neglect of this gentleman's works for his instrument of choice. Perhaps an indie label might like to try something, as scores/parts have survived ...

regards
Peter

[jerfilm]

Molique's Flute Concerto in b, opo 69 and Oboe Concertino in g were both on Lps some years back.  I also have the Cello Concerto in D, op 45 on a cassette, quite possbily the radio broadcast that Peter mentioned above and also on RtoR tape, the Flute Quintet in D, opus 35. 

[Mark Thomas]

I too have a recording of the Cello Concerto broadcast. Not at all a bad piece in a style reminiscent of, oh I don't know, Kaliwoda maybe?