This double-disc set is devoted to short works for piano and cello composed by Victor Herbert (1859–1924). It is an intriguing choice for The Foundations of the American Musical Theater, a new series highlighting composers “whose work pre-dates the 1943 production of Rodgers and Hammerstein's Oklahoma!” The recording consists primarily of previously unrecorded compositions, with pieces for cello and piano on disc one and solo piano pieces on disc two. Although the lack of familiarity with Herbert may be somewhat overstated in the liner notes (“he is little known to today's artists, composers, and the public in general”), audiences more likely will have heard of Herbert's stage works, and perhaps his cello concerti, if they are aware of him already. The titles of the compositions suggest character pieces one would associate with the late nineteenth century and turn of the twentieth, plus a couple of works without titles designated “unpublished.” Initial explorations to find other references to the works included on the recording uncover only occasional mention of just a few of them, making it apparent that the compilation on the recording truly is the result of original research. This recording represents an important contribution towards introducing Herbert's short instrumental works to all audiences.

Victor Herbert's role in American music brings together fascinating strands of influence from his own background as an Irish-born, German-trained cellist who moved to the United States at the age of twenty-seven. Herbert's early career was founded on his identity as a cellist, particularly as an orchestral musician, and his early compositional attempts resulted in his first cello concerto and the Suite for Cello and Orchestra, Op. 3. Herbert's fine abilities as a cellist were immediately recognized upon his arrival in the United States, and he was hired as principal cellist of the Metropolitan Opera Orchestra. Among other significant engagements, only three years after his arrival he was the cello soloist along with violinist Max Bendix in the U.S. premiere of Brahms's Double Concerto in A Minor, Op. 102, performed with the New York Philharmonic Society under the direction of Theodore Thomas. The liner notes to the new recording by Grossman and Hicks provide insights into Herbert's early professional background as a cellist, and we learn not only that Herbert performed as a soloist through 1895 but also that he was “a popular performer for small musical gatherings and benefit performances.” These gatherings were the ideal settings in which to perform his solo cello pieces with piano accompaniment. Indeed, the style of the pieces on the recording reflects the intended performance context. The music is accessible and beautiful in its Romantic sensibility, often lyrical without wearisome schmaltz, and with enough technical demands to reveal the skills of the virtuoso cellist-composer who himself performed the pieces. The focus on solo piano repertoire on disc two in the present set also serves to highlight Herbert's successes as a composer of parlor music for amateur music making. These solo piano works, intended for family and friends to enjoy together at home, also reflect the influence of the waltz, ragtime, and vaudeville. Herbert's contributions to the body of period character pieces, the centrality of the cello to his identity, and the musical accomplishments in his life prior to his theater successes rightly deserve more recognition.

The liner notes accompanying this recording, which are impressive in scope, successfully place these short works in their historical context. A brief discography and bibliography are also included. Cohesiveness between each of the sections in the notes is lacking, although this does not detract from the value of the content. Beginning with the introductory remarks that explain the recording project, it is not entirely clear who is responsible for unveiling the new series of recordings. Who is the “we” that hopes to change the public's familiarity with Victor Herbert? Another apparent need for editing arises if one reads the biographical sketch immediately prior to the discussion of each of the pieces. Some of the same information is shared in both of these sections. The redundancy suggests an editing oversight, but the overlap might be expected because the sections were written by different authors, and the repetition may be helpful to the reader who dips into the notes selectively.

The notes on each of the pieces provide excellent background information, particularly when specific individuals, locations, and performance contexts are described. The comments on musical style seem unnecessary at times and more suited to a concert review than to liner notes, but they do successfully convey the scope and craft of Herbert's compositional abilities. The notes also successfully point out the range of influences evident in Herbert's music. Inspiration from his surroundings and adopted home in the United States is evident in pieces such as Under the Elms that carries the subtitle “Souvenir de Saratoga” and a dedication to the proprietors of the Grand Union Hotel in Saratoga. The Little Red Lark is a setting of an old Irish song, where Herbert gives a nod to his Irish heritage. Whether overtly titled as such, several pieces on the recording are waltzes or possess waltz characteristics. Herbert's approach to the waltz reflects his orchestral experience in Vienna (1880–81) under the direction of Eduard Strauss. Finally, at least one selection—Estellita (Valse Pathétique)—illustrates Herbert's ability to adapt music from an operetta (his own The Princess Pat of 1915) and turn it into instrumental music. This piece provides one of the more distinct threads of continuity between Herbert's identity as a composer of parlor music and his pursuit of theater music for which he became better known later on.

One of the pleasant ironies we encounter in this remarkable set of pieces, many of them recorded for the first time, is that Herbert himself was an active proponent of the phonograph and also fought for the legal rights of composers, including their right to royalties on the sale of sound recordings. We can listen to Herbert himself performing two of the pieces recorded by Grossman and Hicks: Petite Valse and Pensée Amoureuse, which he recorded for Victor Records in 1912. A century later, with the introduction of the 2011 recording by Grossman and Hicks we now have the opportunity to enjoy a segment of Herbert's repertoire that was well known and appreciated when first introduced to the public. The artistic expertise and backgrounds of both performers on this new recording lend further parallels to Herbert, with Grossman serving as the current principal cellist of the Metropolitan Opera Orchestra and Hicks centering his professional experiences primarily on singers and the stage. Their tasteful and convincing interpretations, enhanced by an exceptionally high quality recording, reveal a carefully crafted body of repertoire that deserves to be embraced once again.