Double Dutch

[Gauk]

Not forgetting my favourite, Cornelis Dopper, whose music had given me much pleasure over the years. Especially the 7th symphony.

I included Dopper (you will be pleased to see) in my reply on September 9th :)

I was just reading Latvian's post.

[guest145]

Not forgetting my favourite, Cornelis Dopper, whose music had given me much pleasure over the years. Especially the 7th symphony.

Yes, I should have included Dopper as well. I enjoy his music very much.

[M. Yaskovsky]

As being Dutch I’m not going to be very chauvinistic but I’d like to ad Willem van Otterloo as conductor/composer and Otto Ketting. Van Otterloo’s marvellous Symphony nr.2 is completed by Otto Ketting.
https://nl.wikipedia.org/wiki/Willem_van_Otterloo (The English wiki entry, alas, isn’t very informative on Van Otterloo).
And please don’t forget one of our icons: Reinbert de Leeuw. His ‘Der nächtlige Wanderer’ is an orchestral work full of fantasy and reminiscence:

[Dundonnell]

There are a lot of members of this forum who admire many Dutch composers :)

We may differ slightly  ;D in our estimation of particular composers but I think that very few of us would question that the Netherlands have produced several very fine composers indeed and composers whose works are well worth hearing and enjoying.

[Grandenorm]

Most certainly.

[Dundonnell]

The other point I meant to add was that I had not realised that Willem van Otterloo composed as well as being a fine conductor. I have just listened to and downloaded his Symphony No.2. What an excellent work it is :) And (for anyone interested and/or unaware ;D) exactly my kind of music :)

[Grandenorm]

I agree. A very fine piece. And a discovery for me.

[Jolly Roger]

What have you actually heard by Orthel that would justify calling him "magnificent", Colin? 
Symphonies 2&3 have been commercially recorded and in my judgment are accomplished
and communicative works of enduring worth.  The rest of the Symphonies were uploaded
somewhere (here or UC) in poor sound which I found with nowhere near the command of Nos. 2&3
and thus understandable they've been commercially ignored.  A Cello Concerto left about the
same impression, - rather lackluster.  Have you yourself accessed more than this?
"Magnificent" just seems more than a trifle excessive based on the meager available output
of such (in my view) mixed quality.  Perhaps on balance he really is one of the greats among 20th
century Dutch composers.  We just don't know (at least those of us who rely solely on recordings
for our impressions). 

A "trifle" excessive might be the case, but his music is quite enjoyable and appealing to me, and someone I would recommend to others,but certainly not profound if that's what you are implying.

[Dundonnell]

I think that I have already qualified my original "excessive" endorsement of Orthel's music ;D

At times-some would say "often" ;D-my enthusiasm runs away with me and I lapse into hyperbole!

......but the day that I stop being "enthusiastic" about the music I like and stop trying to encourage others to listen to it is the day I shall be shutting up shop :)

[autoharp]

Symphonies 2&3 have been commercially recorded and in my judgment are accomplished
and communicative works of enduring worth.  The rest of the Symphonies were uploaded
somewhere (here or UC) in poor sound which I found with nowhere near the command of Nos. 2&3
and thus understandable they've been commercially ignored. 

My favourite is the 4th Symphony - which is on YouTube


I'd also recommend the 2nd Orchestral Scherzo op 38 which can be found at


I realise I posted the same recommendations a couple of months back: apologies for the repetition.

[Gauk]

One name missing so far is the quirky but estimable Jakob van Domselaer, whose music I discovered on CD some years ago; but there are a number of works available on YouTube to explore.

One thing that seems to be notable about the Netherlands is the tendency to produce composers of a particular quirkiness, who don't really seem to come from any mould, Vermeulen of course being another example.

[autoharp]

One name missing so far is the quirky but estimable Jakob van Domselaer, whose music I discovered on CD some years ago; but there are a number of works available on YouTube to explore.

Especially Proeven van Stijlkunst (1913-7) (Experiments in artistic style). The early part may be a bit opaque, but what follows certainly makes up for that.



Daniel Ruyneman's Hieroglyphen (1918) is recommended also

[Anonden]

Especially Proeven van Stijlkunst (1913-7) (Experiments in artistic style). The early part may be a bit opaque, but what follows certainly makes up for that.

An interesting evolution in the first part, though particularly into the second it seems not a lot more than an exercise in 'sequence', and I get tired.

Daniel Ruyneman's Hieroglyphen (1918) is recommended also

Curious collage of things, sometimes bleeding in and out of each other. It sounds almost like an anthology of (what would become) early Disney music.