Romberg, Andreas Jakob
Romberg Bernhard Heinrich, *13 November 1767 Dinklage, †13 August 1841 Hamburg, German cellist and composer, son of Bernhard Anton. Together with his cousin, Andreas Jakob, from around 1782, he went on numerous artistic trips (the Netherlands, Germany, 1784–85 Concerts Spirituels in Paris), in 1790–92, they both played in the electoral band in Bonn, in 1793–95 and 1797–99 (1800?) in F.L. Schröder’s Ackermannsches Komödienhaus in Hamburg, in 1795, they gave concerts in Italy, and in 1796 in Vienna. Later Bernhard Heinrich Romberg performed in England, Portugal and Spain, and taught cello, in 1801–03, he stayed in Paris, in 1805–06, he played in the royal orchestra in Berlin, in 1815, he gave concerts in St. Petersburg and London, then he was court bandmaster in Berlin and Gotha, he performed several times in Warsaw (1816, 1822, 1824), in 1819–36, he went on further concert tours, in 1831, he settled in Hamburg and took up teaching work.
Bernhard Heinrich Romberg enjoyed the fame of an outstanding virtuoso cellist; he introduced many improvements in the construction of the cello and in the technique of playing this instrument, wrote Méthode de violoncelle (Berlin 1840).
Bernhard Heinrich Romberg’s daughter, Bernhardine (*14 December 1803 Hamburg, †26 April 1878 Hamburg), was a singer in Berlin, and his son Karl (*7 January 1811 Moscow, †6 February 1897 Hamburg) worked as a cellist in St. Petersburg. The brother of Bernhard Heinrich Romberg, Anton (*6 March 1771 Münster, †1842 Munich), bassoonist and violinist, played in court bands in Münster and Vienna and went on concert trips.
Literature: H. Schäfer Bernhard Romberg. Sein Leben und Wirken, Münster 1931; J. Eckhardt Die Violoncellschulen von J.J.F. Dotzauer, F.A. Kummer und B. Romberg, «Kölner Beiträge zur Musikforschung» LI, Ratyzbona 1968; H. Pukińska-Szepietowska Życie koncertowe w Warszawie (lata 1800–1830), in: Szkice o kulturze muzycznej XIX w., vol. 2, ed. Z. Chechlińska, Warsaw 1973; R. Suchecki Wiolonczela od A do Z, Kraków 1982.
Compositions:
5 symphonies, including Kindersymphonie in C minor Op. 62
Celllo Concerto in B-flat major Op. 2, D major Op. 3
Celllo Concerto in G major Op. 6
Celllo Concerto in E minor Op. 7
Celllo Concerto in F-sharp minor Op. 30
Celllo Concerto in F major “Militaire” Op. 31
Celllo Concerto in C major “Suisse” Op. 44
Celllo Concerto in A major “Brillante” Op. 48
Celllo Concerto in B minor “Grand” Op. 56
Celllo Concerto in E major “Brillante” Op. 75
rondos, variations, including Variationen Op. 50 and 61, fantasias, caprices, divertimentos, concertinos, including Concertino Op. 51, potpourris and other pieces for cello accompanied by orchestra or string quartet
chamber pieces, including string quartets, string and piano trios cello sonatas
a few solo songs
3 operas
operetta, ballet and theatre music, including Racine’s Fedro
Editions:
Cello Concerto Op. 3, published by H. Münch-Holland, Leipzig 1930, new ed. Frankfurt am Main 1964
Variationen Op. 50 and 61 and Concertino Op. 51, published by J. Stutschewsky, Leipzig 1952
Kindersymphonie, published by Th. Trusse, Frankfurt 1925
3 sonates faciles Op. 43, published by R.A. Schubert, Brema 1949, arrangement for 2 cellos published by F. Grützmacher, Leipzig 1954
Etüden, published by W. Schulz, Leipzig 1936, 2nd ed. 1952, part of them published as 24 leichte Etüden, Leipzig 1956