Henriette Bosmans (1895-1952)

Donald Macleod explores Henriëtte Bosmans' rise to fame as both a pianist and a composer.

Henriëtte Bosmans seemed destined for a life in music from the moment of her birth, in 1895. Her father was the principal solo cellist in the Amsterdam Concertgebouw Orchestra and her mother a piano teacher at the Amsterdam Conservatory. Bosmans developed a flourishing career and won international success with her Concert Piece for Violin and Orchestra. As a concert pianist she performed alongside conductors such as Ernest Ansermet and George Szell.

Bosmans’s mother was a Jew and, although Bosmans didn’t consider herself Jewish, her ancestry played a significant role in the events of her life. She lived through the Nazi occupation of the Netherlands, when tens of thousands of Amsterdam Jews were deported to concentration camps, including her fellow citizen, Anne Frank. This week, Donald Macleod is joined by Bosmans expert Dr Helen Metzelaar and also Dr Laurien Vastenhout from Amsterdam’s Institute for War, Holocaust and Genocide.

Music Featured:

Prelude No 3, 4 & 6 (from Six Preludes) Cello Sonata (excerpt) String Quartet Poème for cello and orchestra Arietta (from Two Recital Pieces) Trio for piano, violin and cello Im Mondenglanze ruht das Meer Le diable dans la nuit Concertino for piano and orchestra Prelude No 5 (from Six Preludes) Cello Sonata (excerpt) Cello Concerto No 2, UK première Lead Kindly Light Gebed Danse Orientale (from Two Recital Pieces), UK première Trois Impressions for cello and piano Dit eiland Complainte du petit cheval blanc Aurore Concertstuck for violin and orchestra Concertstuck for flute and chamber orchestra La chanson du chiffonnier Das macht den Menschen glücklich Een lied voor Spanje Violin Sonata, UK première

Presented by Donald Macleod Produced by Luke Whitlock, for BBC Wales For full track listings, including artist and recording details, and to listen to the pieces featured in full (for 30 days after broadcast) head to the series page for Henriette Bosmans (1895-1952) https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/m0014y4m And you can delve into the A-Z of all the composers we’ve featured on Composer of the Week here: http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/articles/3cjHdZlXwL7W41XGB77X3S0/composers-a-to-z