HENDRIK ANDRIESSEN

Hendrik Andriessen

Hendrik Andriessen was raised in an artistic environment. Of his six children, Juriaan, Caecilia, and Louis also became composers. As an organist and composer, he gave attention to both sacred and secular music. Andriessen's musical language further embroiders on that of César Franck (another organist) and Albert Roussel with a ...
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componist, orgel

Mentioned in the biography of

1887   Willem Andriessen
1907   Felix de Nobel
1912   Herman Strategier
1916   Louis Toebosch
1925   Jurriaan Andriessen
1927   Eduard van Beinum
1928   Willem van Otterloo
1938   Anthon van der Horst
1939   Louis Andriessen
1950   De Nationale Opera
1952   Jaap Stotijn
1956   Jan Boerman
1960   Sophia van Sante
1989   Piet Kee
1993   Nederlands Jeugd Strijk Orkest
1993   Roberta Alexander
2009   Jacobien Rozemond
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Biography Hendrik Andriessen

Hendrik Andriessen was raised in an artistic environment. Of his six children, Juriaan, Caecilia, and Louis also became composers. As an organist and composer, he gave attention to both sacred and secular music. Andriessen's musical language further embroiders on that of César Franck (another organist) and Albert Roussel with a variety of modern elements.”Bitonality (the simultaneous use of two different keys) plays a role in various of his later compositions, and themes built from the twelve tones in the octave reveal that Schoenberg's ideas were not totally lost on him”. (Frits van der Waa in de Volkskrant) Andriessen was not a musical pioneer, but neither did he ignore innovation. His secular music is often described as reserved, but his sacred music is mildly innovative. Andriessen himself said: “I have never done my best for anything, not even for making new church music – though some say that I did some such thing. Well, I'm not so sure of that. I did only what I felt like doing”.

1892

Hendrik Andriessen is born in Haarlem on September 17, the son of the organist Nico Andriessen and painter Gesina Vester.

1913 - 1914

After his father's death, he takes his place as organist at St. Joseph's Church and writes his first compositions. He enters the Amsterdam Conservatory and begins studying the organ with Jean-Baptiste de Pauw and composition with Bernard Zweers.

Bernard Zweers

1917

The 24-year-old Andriessen first meets the composer Alphons Diepenbrock in the spring. Though their musical styles differ greatly, Diepenbrock exerts a strong influence on Andriessen's music.

Alphons Diepenbrock

1927

Andriessen becomes a music theory and composition teacher at the Amsterdam Conservatory.

1930 - 1940

In addition to his work at the Amsterdam Conservatory, Andriessen teaches the organ and composition at the Catholic Music School in Utrecht. One of his students there is Herman Strategier. In 1934 he becomes organist at the Utrecht Cathedral and in 1937 he is appointed director of the Utrecht Conservatory.

Herman Strategier

1941 - 1945

During the war he composes little, in part because he refuses to join the Nazi's Culture Chamber. He writes an authoritative book about César Franck. Because of his anti-Nazi sentiments, he is imprisoned for six months in Haaren and Sint-Michelgestel in 1942. Despite an official ban on performing his music, he is one of the five most frequently played Dutch composers – with Johan Wagenaar, Henk Badings, Alphons Diepenbrock, and Karel Mengelberg.

1949

Andriessen is named director of the Royal Conservatory in The Hague.

1950 - 1952

Andriessen is awarded the Johan Wagenaar Prize. He writes his first book about music, which has the simple but clear title 'Over Muziek' [On Music]. In his next book, 'Muziek en Muzikaliteit' [Music and Musicality], of 1952, he proposes that music should not be related to its maker's biographical past: “The artwork is a portrait of itself, and nothing else”. Andriessen is named Special Professor at the Catholic University of Nijmegen.

1960 - 1961

He is awarded the Prof. Van der Leeuw Prize and a year later the Sweelinck Prize.

1981

Hendrik Andriessen dies on April 17 in Haarlem.

1992

The Hendrik Andriessen Centennial is celebrated throughout the Netherlands. A bust of the composer at age 19 is installed in the Haarlem Concertgebouw.

Audio/Video Hendrik Andriessen

Video Hendrik Andriessen