Obscure Music Monday: Bohm's Am Bergquell (By the Mountain Spring)
Carl Bohm (Sept. 11, 1844 - April 4, 1920) was a German pianist and composer. Little is known about him, though during his day his works were very popular. He's considered one of the great German songwriters from the 19th century, and has many works that achieved worldwide recognition, such as Still as the Night, Twilight, Maybells, Enfant Cheri, and The Fountain. Bohm's publisher, N. Simrock, said that the profits from his compositions provided the capital for the publication of those of Brahms". That goes to show the popularity and salability of his works during his time. Bohm wasn't just a songwriter; he also wrote chamber music, particularly quartets and piano trios, along with many pieces for solo piano. Am Bergquell (By the Mountain Spring) is a movement in a larger work entitled "Salon Pieces".
It's starts off in a slightly campy, yet charming nonetheless upwards arpeggio that is a giveaway for a salon piece of this type. After that, the fun melody in the right hand is accompanied with cascading arpeggios in the left. A minor section in the middle interrupts briefly before going back to the main theme. It's then followed by a mature, section of beautiful chords, with the pianist having to cross hands, and then a return to the main melody, with a flashy run to he bottom of the piano for the ending.
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