Henriëtte Bosmans - Concertos (Various Artists)

Information

Composer: Henriëtte Bosmans

1. Poème for Cello and Orchestra
2. Lead, Kindly Light
3. Concertstuk for Violin and Orchestra
4. Second Concerto for Cello and Orchestra: I. Andante molto moderato
5. Second Concerto for Cello and Orchestra: II. Scherzo
6. Second Concerto for Cello and Orchestra: III. Molto lento – Allegro giocoso

Gemma Rosefield, cello

Rowan Pierce, soprano

Benjamin Nabarro, violin

BBC Philharmonic Orchestra

George Vass, conductor

Date: 2025

Label: Resonus Classics

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This album highlights the lyrical artistry of Dutch composer Henriëtte Bosmans through a selection of concertante and orchestral works. Cellist Gemma Rosefield delivers a deeply expressive interpretation of Poème and the Second Cello Concerto, supported with clarity by conductor George Vass. Violinist Benjamin Nabarro shines in the heartfelt Concertstuk, a tribute to Bosmans’ late fiancé, while soprano Rowan Pierce brings radiant sensitivity to Lead, kindly light. With vivid accompaniment from the BBC Philharmonic Orchestra, the recording offers a moving portrait of Bosmans’ intensely personal yet universally resonant musical voice.

Henriëtte Bosmans (1895–1952), born in Amsterdam, was one of the Netherlands’ leading composers and pianists of the early 20th century. Trained by her mother, pianist Sarah Benedicts, she graduated with distinction in piano in 1913 and made her debut in 1915 with Mozart’s Piano Concerto K. 450. Celebrated as a soloist, she performed with conductors such as Monteux, Mengelberg, and Szell, and later taught at the Toonkunst Music School. Her early works, like Poème (1923), reflect German-Romantic influences. Despite personal losses and restrictions during WWII, she resumed composing, creating poignant works including Doodenmarsch and late songs with Noémie Perugia. Her legacy endures through the Henriëtte Bosmans Prize, established in 1994.