Andriessen, Louis (Joseph)

Andriessen, Louis (Joseph), significant Dutch composer and teacher, son of Hendrik (Franciscus) Andriessen, brother of Jurriaan Andriessen, and nephew of Willem (Christian Nicolaas) Andriessen; b. Utrecht, June 6, 1939. He began studies with his father in 1953, and then pursued training with Kees van Baaren at the Royal Cons, of Music at The Hague (1957–62). After winning its composition prize, he completed his studies with Berio in Milan and Berlin (1962–65). Returning to his homeland, he made a name for himself in avant-garde music circles. In 1972 he founded De Volharding (Perseverance), an unconventional wind band devoted to taking music to people in the streets. Andriessen became a teacher of instrumentation at the Royal Cons, of Music at The Hague in 1974, and then taught composition there from 1978. In 1976 he founded the experimental music group Hoketus, with which he remained active until it was disbanded in 1987. With the premiere of his De Stoat (The Republic) for 4 Women’s Voices and Large Ensemble in Amsterdam on Nov. 28, 1976, Andriessen established himself as one of the principal figures in Dutch musical life. In 1977 it won him the Matthijs Vermeulen Prize and the first prize of Unesco’s International Rostrum of Composers. He was a lecturer at Yale Univ. in 1987. On June 1, 1989, three parts of his music theater piece De Materie (Matter) inaugurated the new Muziektheater in Amsterdam. In 1992 he was awarded the Matthijs Vermeulen Prize for a second time. He served as artistic director of the Meltdown Festival at the South Bank Centre in London in 1994. In 1996 he was a lecturer at Princeton Univ. With E. Schônberger, he publ. the study Het Apollinische Uurwerk (Amsterdam, 1983; Eng. tr., 1989, as The Apollonian Clockwork: On Stravinsky). While Andriessen’s output reflects the influence of such diverse figures as Bach, Ives, Stravinsky, and Charlie Parker, he has found his own unmistakable compositional voice.

Works

Flute Sonata (1956); Elegy for Cello or Double Bass and Piano (1957); Nuit d’été for Piano, 4-Hands (1957); Séries for 2 Pianos (1958); Percosse for Flute, Trumpet, Bassoon, and Percussion (1959); Nocturnen for Soprano and Chamber Orch. (The Hague, Dec. 14, 1959); Ittrospezione I for Piano, 4-Hands (1961), II for Orch. (1963), and 71/ (Concept I) for 2 Pianos and Ensemble (1964), (fragment) for 2 Pianos and Tenor Saxophone ad libitum (1965), and Concept II for 2 Pianos and Ensemble (1965); Trois pièces for Piano, Left-Hand (1961); Aanloop en sprongen for Flute, Oboe, and Clarinet (1961); Joli commentaire for Piano, 4-Hands (1961); Paintings for Flute and Piano (1961); Triplum per chitarra for Guitar (1962); Canzone 3.Utinam for Soprano and Piano (1962); Registers for Piano (1963); A flower song II for Oboe (1964) and III for Cello (1964); Sweet for Alto Recorder (1964); Double for Clarinet and Piano (1965); Souvenirs d’enfance for Piano (1966); The Garden of Ryoan-gi for 3 Electric Organs (1967); Anachronie I for Orch. (1967; Rotterdam, Jan. 18, 1968) and II for Oboe and Orch. (1969); Contra tempus for Wind Ensemble, Percussion, and Improvising Ensemble (1968); Reconstructie, opera (Holland Festival, June 29, 1969; in collaboration with R. de Leeuw, M. Mengelberg, P. Schat, and J. van Vlijmen); Choralvorspiele for Barrel Organ (1969); Hoe het is (How it is) for Live Electronics and 52 Strings (1969; Rotterdam, Sept. 14, 1970); Spektakel for Wind Ensemble, Percussion, and Improvising Ensemble (1970); Vergeet mij niet (Forget me not) for an Oboe/Piano Player (1970); The 9 Symphonies of Beethoven for Orch. and Ice-Cream Seller’s Bell (1970); In Memoriam, electronic piece (1971); Volkslied for an Unlimited Number of Any Instruments (1971); La Voile du Bonheur for Violin or Voice and Piano (1971); De Volharding (Perseverance) for Wind Ensemble (1972); Thanh Hoa for Voice and Piano (1972); De Staat (The Republic) for 4 Women’s Voices and Large Ensemble (1972-76; Amsterdam, Nov. 28, 1976); // Duce, electronic piece (1973); The Family, film music for Ensemble (1973); On Jimmy Yancey for Wind Ensemble (1973); II Principe for 2 Choruses and Wind Ensemble (1974); Symfoniee’n der Nederlanden (Symphonies of the Netherlands) for 2 or More Wind Bands (1974); Melodie for Treble Recorder and Piano (1974); Hymne to the Memory of Darius Milhaud for Orch. (1974); Wals for Piano (1974); Workers Union for Any Loud Group of Instruments (1975); Nederland, let op uw schoonheyt (Monuments of the Netherlands) for Brass Band and/or Wind Band (1975); Hoketus for 2 Groups of 5 Instruments (The Hague, May 31, 1976); Mattheus passie (Matthew Passion), music theater (1976); Orpheus, music theater (1977); Symphony for Open Strings for 12 Solo String Players (1978); Laat toch vrij die straat for Voice and Piano (1978); Mausoleum for 2 High Baritones and Large Ensemble (Amsterdam, June 17, 1979); Ende for Recorder Player Playing 2 Alto Recorders (1980); George Sand, music theater (1980); Erik Satie: Messe des Pauvres, arrangement for Chorus and Ensemble (1980); Un beau baiser for Chorus (1980); De Tijd (The Time) for Women’s Chorus and Large Ensemble (1980-81; The Hague, June 1, 1981); La voce for Cello (1981); Commentaar for Voice and Piano (1981); Overture to Orpheus for Harpsichord (1982); Disco for Violin and Piano (1982); Trepidus for Piano (1983); Menuet voor Marianne for Piano (1983); Y despues for Voice and Piano (1983); De Snelheid (Velocity) for Large Ensemble (1983; San Francisco, Jan. 11, 1984); De Materie (Matter; 1984-88; Part I for Tenor, 8 Voices, and Large Ensemble, 1987; Amsterdam, June 1, 1989; Part II, Hadewijch for Soprano, 8 Voices, and Large Ensemble, 1988; Amsterdam, June 1, 1989; Part III, De Stijl [The Style] for 4 Women’s Voices, Woman Speaker, 8 Voices, and Large Ensemble, 1984-85; Amsterdam, June 9, 1985; Part IV for Woman Speaker, 8 Voices, and Large Ensemble, 1988; Amsterdam, June 1, 1989); Berceuse voor Annie van Os for Piano (1985); Dubbelspoor (Double Track) for Piano, Harpsichord, Glockenspiel, and Celesta (1988); De Lijn (The Line) for 3 Flutes (1986); De Toren (The Tower) for Carillon (1988); Nietzsche redet for Reciter and Ensemble (1989); Flora Tristan for Chorus (1990); Facing Death for 4 Amplified Strings or String Quartet (1990; Milwaukee, April 5, 1991); Dances for Soprano and Chamber Orch. (Amsterdam, April 24, 1991); M is for Man, Music, Mozart for Jazz Singer and Ensemble (Utrecht, Sept. 22, 1991); Hout (Wood) for Tenor Saxophone, Marimba, Guitar, and Piano (Amsterdam, Nov. 3, 1991); Lacrimosa for 2 Bassoons (1991); Romance voor Caecilia for Piano (1991); The Memory of Roses for Piano and Toy Piano (1992); Chorale for Piano (1992); Deuxième chorale for Hand-operated Music Box (1992); ...not being sundered for Soprano, Flute, and Cello (1992); Lied for Piano (1993); Rosa (a horse drama), music theater (1993-94; Amsterdam, Nov. 2, 1994); Zilver for Mixed Ensemble (1994; Los Angeles, Jan. 11, 1995); Base for Piano, Left Hand (N.Y., Oct. 13, 1994); Een lied van de Zee (A song of the sea) for Voice (1994; Amsterdam, Jan. 20, 1995); De Komst van Willibrord (Willibrord’s Arrival) for Carillon (Utrecht, Aug. 29, 1995); To Pauline O for Oboe (Rotterdam, Nov. 8, 1995); Odysseus’ Women for 4 Women’s Voices and Chamber Orch. (1995; rev. 1998; Amsterdam, Jan. 29, 1999); Trilogy of the Last Day (1996-97; Part I, The Last Day for 4 Men’s Voices, Child’s Voice, and Large Ensemble, Holland Festival, June 7, 1996; rev. 1997; Part II, TAO for Piano, 4 Women’s Voices, and Ensemble, Donaueschingen, Oct. 18, 1996; Part III, Dancing on the bones for Children’s Voices and Ensemble, Cologne, June 12, 1997); De Herauten (The Heralds) for Brass and Timpani (The Hague, May 28, 1997); Writing to Vermeer, opera (1997-99; Amsterdam, Dec. 1, 1999); De Eerste Minnaar (The First Lover) for Boy Soprano and Organ (The Hague, June 12, 1998)

Bibliography

E. Restagno, ed., L. A. (Turin, 1996).

—Nicolas Slonimsky/Laura Kuhn/Dennis McIntire