The Dutch baritone Robbert Muuse and pianist Micha van Weers performs works by German-Dutch composer Julius Röntgen, another composer who lived in the first half of 20th Century that deserves to be rediscovered. He wrote several collection of Lieder here presented as world premiere recordings.

Julius Röntgen was a Dutch-German musician, born in Leipzig in 1855. In 1878 he moved to Amsterdam. As pianist, conductor, concert organiser and co-founder of the first conservatory in Amsterdam, he was one of pillars of a developing musical life in the Netherlands. This selection of lieder are from his Dutch period.

Baritone Johannes Messchaert came forward in 1881. He showed a warm interest in Röntgen’s music. A deep friendship grew between them as well as a stage relationship that would last for 33 years. The Messchaert-Röntgen evenings were much loved. Lieder were alternated with piano solo pieces.

Around the time of World War I, musical aesthetics underwent a complete shake-up. Röntgen did not reject all the innovative new music, and at later age he even came to enjoy jazz and Gershwin, but apparently he could only be true to himself. Brahms, Joseph Joachim and Grieg were no longer there, but listening to these lieder reveals a man who managed to carry on by asking his friends examining questions.

A new generation of open-minded musicians has recently opened up surprising horizons in his work. There is still a lot to be discovered in Röntgen’s extensive oeuvre. After all, as Messchaert already pointed out the part of him you could see was 'the smallest part'. ‘To see Röntgen, you must hear him’.