Van Lier, Bertus
Van Lier, Bertus
Van Lier, Bertus, Dutch composer, conductor, music critic, and teacher; b. Utrecht, Sept. 10, 1906; d. Roden, Feb. 14, 1972. He was a student of Pijper (composition) in Amsterdam and of Scherchen (conducting) in Strasbourg. After a period as a conductor, music critic, and composer in Utrecht, he taught at the Rotterdam Cons. (1945-60) and then was active in the art history dept. at the Univ. of Groningen. He publ. the vols. Buiten de maastreep (Beyond the Bar Line; Amsterdam, 1948) and Rhythme en metrum (Groningen, 1967). Van Lier’s early compositions were modeled on Pijper’s “germ-cell” theory, to which he imparted a literary symbolism.
Works
dramatic: Ballet: Katharsis (1945; concert version, Utrecht, Nov. 29, 1950). Incidental Music To: Sophocles’s Ajax (1932) and Antigone (1952). ORCH.: 3 syms. (1928; 1930-31, rev. 1946; 1938-39); Concertino for Cello and Chamber Orch. (1933); Bassoon Concerto (1950); Symfoniafor 2 String Orchs., Double Wind Quintet, and Timpani (1954); Divertimento facile (1957); Concertante Musicfor Violin, Oboe, and Orch. (1959); Intrada reale e Sinfonia festiva (1964); Variaties en thema (1967; Bergen, Jan. 17, 1968). CHAMBER: String Quartet (1929); Sonata for Solo Violin (1931); Small Suitefor Violin and Piano (1935); piano pieces. VOCAL: De dijk (The Dike) for Narrator and Chamber Orch. (1937); Canti-cumfor Women’s Chorus, 2 Flutes, Piano, 4-Hands, and Strings (1939); O Netherlands, Pay Attention,cantata for Chorus, Timpani, and Strings (1945); Het Hooglied (The Song of Songs) for Soloists, Chorus, and Small Orch. (1949); Cantate voor Kerstmis (Christmas Cantata) for Chorus and Orch. (1955); 3 Old Persian Quatrainsfor Soprano, Bass Flute, Oboe d’Amore, and Piano (1956); 5 Mei: Zi] (5thof May: They), oratorio (Radio Hilversum, May 5, 1963); choruses.
—Nicolas Slonimsky/Laura Kuhn/Dennis McIntire