CENTRAL ENGLAND: Mike Wheeler's concert reviews from Nottingham and Derbyshire feature high profile artists on the UK circuit - often quite early on their tours.
German violinist and composer Andreas Jakob Romberg was born at Vechta on 27 April 1767. His father Gerhard Heinrich Romberg taught him violin. He gave his first public performance at six.
He travelled extensively, including to Italy and France, with his cousin, cellist and composer Bernard Heinrich Romberg.
He played in the Archbishop Elector's orchestra in Bonn, meeting the young Beethoven, and then in the Hamburg Opera Orchestra. Whilst in Hamburg, his opera Der Rabe was produced, and he also wrote a setting of Der Messias ('The Messiah'). Haydn took an interest in Romberg's string quartets.
Romberg became music director at the Duke's court at Gotha in 1815, and died there on 10 November 1821.
He was prolific as a composer, leaving much chamber music, eight operas and ten symphonies.
CD Spotlight. Contrapuntal Mastery - Gerald Fenech listens to an overture and symphonies by Andreas Romberg. 'Kevin Griffiths and his Dutch players etch out some bright and eminently satisfying performances, and their advocacy for this music brims with enthusiasm.'
CD Spotlight. Multifaceted Nature - Beethoven and Romberg explored, heard by Andrew Schartmann. '... stellar performance ...'
CD Spotlight. Musical impression - Beethoven and the Habsburgs, explored by Robert Anderson. '... infectious zest ...'