Emil Hartmann was the son of the formerly illustrious J.P.E. Hartmann, and he lived his life in his father's shadow, dying (in 1898) two years before his dad. It's a pity, because I have yet to hear anything by the older man that matches these three concertos in terms of craftsmanship and melodic appeal. They may not be the most emotionally deep works in their respective media, but the fact that all three are in minor keys adds plenty of harmonic piquancy, and Hartmann Jr. reveals himself to be a composer of real skill, wit, and taste.


The biggest "find" must be the Violin Concerto (1876), a splendid work in the tradition of Mendelssohn's, and one really not that far inferior. It was very smart of Hartmann to begin all three works in the new "romantic" style, with the soloist entering right away, thus saving his listeners the ordeal of yet another dysfunctional take on classical first-movement form. None of these concertos is overly long, and for 25 minutes the Violin Concerto consistently entertains with its lovely tunes, characterful orchestration (particularly in the central Andante/Scherzo combination), and skillful writing for the soloist. Not a terribly difficult work technically (nor are the other two), it's splendidly played by Christina Astrand, who cultivates a fine, singing tone throughout.


Indeed, the most outstanding quality of all three works here is their lyricism. Hartmann was not much of an orchestral dramatist, but he writes to his strengths. The delicious and aptly titled concluding Rondo pastorale of the Cello Concerto really does say it all in this respect. Hartmann adopts a slightly larger scale in the F minor Piano Concerto, but the possibility of Sturm und Drang never means that the music bogs down in heaviness or excessive rhetoric. Hartmann was one of those rare composers who wrote serious music with a light touch, and happily the performances of these two latter works, like that of the Violin Concerto, successfully walk the line between romantic introspection and a more populist tone (particularly in the Piano Concerto's really entertaining finale).


These are perfect pieces for soloists and orchestras on the "second circuit" to pick up and try out. Major orchestras spend large amounts of money attracting big names to play the same stuff over and over, and they seldom have the guts to risk unknown works such as these. The fact is, though, that they would grace any concert program and would make excellent calling cards for budding talent. The Helsingborg Symphony Orchestra under Hannu Lintu handles all three beautifully: again, the music obviously isn't difficult, but its high level of polish responds to a similarly high level of execution, and that's just what this team delivers. Great sound, whether stereo or surround, makes this disc a genuine discovery and earns it a serious recommendation.
--David Hurwitz, ClassicsToday.com