Johannes Bernardus van Bree (1801-1857)

[Peter1953]

In the Netherlands Johannes van Bree is, as a composer, well-known only for his Allegro for Four String Quartets, a lovely piece which is broadcast frequently.
The other work I know is his Scene for Horn and Orchestra. But he also composed symphonies and overtures. And how about the first movement of his Violin Concerto in D minor? To get an impression listen to this.
Another hidden treasure, I think, which deserves a release on a CD, full of passion performed by one of Holland's very fine violinists like Janine Jansen, Liza Ferschtman or Simone Lamsma.

[Christo]

Sounds interesting. Do you know more about the details of the performance of the Violin Concerto in D minor on Youtube?

[Alan Howe]

Very nice music indeed, Peter, I agree. There is some lovely melodic writing as the first movement progresses - and plenty of vigorous passages too. This is a work that Hyperion could look at, perhaps.

[JimL]

I've heard the whole thing.  This is a short work, like the Vieuxtemps or Wieniawski VC 2, the first movement you heard is all there is of it.  After the tutti there is a slow movement and finale.  Now if there is a more substantial Dutch, or maybe Belgian VC to pair it with...

[Peter1953]

I did some research on the internet and found the following information.
Van Bree's Violin Concerto in D minor (premiered in 1847) was rediscovered in a safe containing music by old composers in Amsterdam in 2006 by the Dutch conductor Tjalling Wijnstra. The score still existed, but had to be prepared for other instruments.
The first performance took place in the province of Fryslân on 16 June 2006 by the Nieuw Philharmonisch Orkest (New Philharmonic Orchestra) under the baton of Tjalling Wijnstra. I haven't found information who played the solo violin. Two other performances were held on 18 June 2006 at Leeuwarden and 24 June 2006 at the music centre Felix Meritis of Amsterdam.
(source: Daily Newspaper Trouw of 7 June 2006).

The concerto has 3 movements: 1. Allegro moderato, 2. Andante, 3. Rondo Allegretto

Of the life recording the third movement is also available, listen here.

[Alan Howe]

Forthcoming from cpo:
https://www.prestomusic.com/classical/products/9640021--johannes-bernardus-van-bree-violin-concerto-fantasy-overtures

[semloh]

Quite a number of Van Bree's compositions can be heard on YT, including his excellent Festive Overture. I think he is an Unsung Composer worthy of more attention, and this new disc is very welcome.

[terry martyn]

I couldn't agree more, having recently purchased the CD containing his music for horn and orchestra. I will certainly be buying this.

[Alan Howe]

Personally, I'm not convinced (yet!): I find the music rather insipid and I'm not sure I like the HIP-influenced performances.

[Ilja]

I have to agree with "insipid". Despite being a violinist, I don't think the concerto shows Van Bree at his best as a composer. There are, however, various other orchestral works that are far more appealing, most of all his mostly Weberian concert overtures. In my youth, his Allegro moderato for four String Quartets was something of a regular presence in Dutch music venues, also because of its novelty factor with a string quartet in each corner of the room.

[eschiss1]

I seem to recall enjoying one of his (three?) regular-old-string-quartets too, for example.

[Alan Howe]

CD now available from jpc:
https://www.jpc.de/jpcng/cpo/detail/-/art/johannes-bernardus-van-bree-ouvertueren/hnum/4916777

[Ilja]

Having listened to this "disc" (on streaming; YT link here), I wonder why cpo chose to bill the Violin Concerto as the main dish; probably some marketing consideration. However, the most important work on offer is clearly Van Bree's Fantasy in the Form of a Symphony, penned in 1845 to inaugurate the new concert hall of the Learned Society Felix Meritis in Amsterdam (whose monumental building still exists even if the society doesn't). It is a delicious, 22-minute symphony in a single, sectioned movement which the astute among you might know already from MDMusics' MIDI realization on YouTube. It's really good to have it now in a performance by living musicians, and very good ones at that. The HiP influences don't bother me to be honest, and playing is very good throughout this recording.

Another novelty is Van Bree's E flat minor concert overture (also premiered by MDMusics), which proves to be as delightful albeit perhaps not quite as catchy as its B minor sibling, which is also played here but was already known from an older Jac van Steen recording. The new recording, however, is quite a bit better in my view, not least because of its transparent sonics but also because, like everthing here, it is played with the deserving gusto. My only gripe would be that there would have been more than enough space to include Van Bree's final concert overture in C major, and for whatever reason they didn't.

Where does that leave the concerto? To be honest, I'd rate it as the lowest attraction here. It's not particularly distinguish nor does it show the composer at his best. Buy this for the Fantasy and the overtures and you won't be disappointed.

---
Historical addition: somehow it's ironic that Van Bree wrote the Fantasy to celebrate Felix Meritis, as it was one most important learned societies in the Netherlands at the time. The more prominent among these societies included all the "Konsten", a Dutch word that united what we now know as arts and sciences. That marriage was usually a somewhat unhappy one, working out rarely in favor of both, and contributing heavily to the lack of a dedicated musical infrastructure in the country until various philharmonic societies got going later in the 19th century. The booklet notes how Van Bree was eager to please, but he needed to in order to make a living, because of this circumstance - the same circumstance that drove Verhulst to pretty much abandon composing altogether and continue as an embittered apparachik.

[Alan Howe]

I still don't like the lack of string vibrato. My loss, I know. I also feel that the performance simply lacks 'guts' - it sounds too pleasant to me. Where's the boldness the work requires?

[Ilja]

I agree that a more profiled interpretation would be possible, but I also think that "pleasant" probably best shows the intentions of the composer for this work. The overtures show him at his gutsiest.