Henriëtte Bosmans is considered one of the most important Dutch composers of the first half of the 20th century. Having refused to become a member of the Nazi’s Chamber of Culture, her career was put on hold. This new album from cellist Raphael Wallfisch and the BBC Scottish Symphony Orchestra led by Ed Spanjaard is part of Wallfisch’s survey “Voices in the Wilderness” on the CPO label presenting cello works by composers silenced by the Third Reich. The cello was a very important instrument for Bosmans. Her father was a fine cellist, and one of the most influential people in her life, her lover Frieda Belinfante, was the dedicatee of the Second cello concerto. The lyrical, bold, and emotional writing for the cello in all three concertante works included on this album (the two concertos and Poème) shows her deep identification with the instrument. Both Cello Concertos 1 & 2 are new to the WFMT library.
Henriëtte Bosmans: Cello Concertos 1 & 2 - Poème
A revelatory showcase of a composer who deserves far greater recognition. Bosmans’s compelling writing for cello blends late Romantic lyricism with the bold orchestral textures of her contemporaries, the early Moderninsts. While we should always judge works on their own merit, my personal enjoyment of this music is enriched by knowing the context of Bosmans’s relationship with cellist Frieda Belinfante, and thus, through a queer lens.
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