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Louis Joseph Andriessen (; 6 June 1939 – 1 July 2021) was a Dutch composer,
pianist A pianist ( , ) is an individual musician who plays the piano. Since most forms of Western music can make use of the piano, pianists have a wide repertoire and a wide variety of styles to choose from, among them traditional classical music, ja ...
and academic teacher. Considered the most influential Dutch composer of his generation, he was a central proponent of The Hague school of composition. Although his music was initially dominated by
neoclassicism Neoclassicism (also spelled Neo-classicism) was a Western cultural movement in the decorative arts, decorative and visual arts, literature, theatre, music, and architecture that drew inspiration from the art and culture of classical antiquity. ...
and serialism, his style gradually shifted to a synthesis of American
minimalism In visual arts, music and other media, minimalism is an art movement that began in post– World War II in Western art, most strongly with American visual arts in the 1960s and early 1970s. Prominent artists associated with minimalism include ...
, jazz and the manner of Stravinsky. Born in Utrecht into a musical family, Andriessen studied with his father, the composer
Hendrik Andriessen Hendrik Franciscus Andriessen (17 September 1892 – 12 April 1981) was a Dutch composer and organist. He is remembered most of all for his improvisation at the organ and for the renewal of Catholic liturgical music in the Netherlands. Andriess ...
as well as composers
Kees van Baaren Kees van Baaren (;In isolation, ''van'' is pronounced . 22 October 1906 – 2 September 1970) was a Dutch composer and teacher. Early years Van Baaren was born in Enschede. His early studies (1924–29) were in Berlin with Rudolph Breithaup ...
and Luciano Berio. Andriessen taught at the
Royal Conservatory of The Hague The Royal Conservatoire ( nl, Koninklijk Conservatorium, KC) is a conservatoire in The Hague, providing higher education in music and dance. The conservatoire was founded by King William I in 1826, making it the oldest conservatoire in the Nether ...
from 1974 to 2012, influencing notable composers. His opera ''
La Commedia ''La Commedia'' is an opera in five parts composed by Louis Andriessen. A retelling of Dante's ''Divine Comedy'', the multi-language libretto was constructed by Andriessen using extracts from Dante's poem as well as several other sources including ...
'', based on Dante's ''
Divine Comedy The ''Divine Comedy'' ( it, Divina Commedia ) is an Italian narrative poem by Dante Alighieri, begun 1308 and completed in around 1321, shortly before the author's death. It is widely considered the pre-eminent work in Italian literature a ...
'', won the 2011
Grawemeyer Award for Music Composition The Grawemeyer Award for Music Composition () is an annual prize instituted by Henry Charles Grawemeyer, industrialist and entrepreneur, at the University of Louisville in 1984. The award was first given in 1985. Subsequently, the Grawemeyer Awar ...
and was selected in 2019 by critics at '' The Guardian'' as one of the most outstanding compositions of the 21st century.


Life and career

Andriessen was born in Utrecht on 6 June 1939 to a musical family, the son of the composer
Hendrik Andriessen Hendrik Franciscus Andriessen (17 September 1892 – 12 April 1981) was a Dutch composer and organist. He is remembered most of all for his improvisation at the organ and for the renewal of Catholic liturgical music in the Netherlands. Andriess ...
and Johanna Justina Anschütz (1898–1975). His father was professor of composition at the
Royal Conservatory of The Hague The Royal Conservatoire ( nl, Koninklijk Conservatorium, KC) is a conservatoire in The Hague, providing higher education in music and dance. The conservatoire was founded by King William I in 1826, making it the oldest conservatoire in the Nether ...
, and later its director. His siblings are composers Jurriaan Andriessen and Caecilia Andriessen (1931–2019), and he is the nephew of
Willem Andriessen Willem Andriessen (Haarlem, October 25, 1887 – Amsterdam, March 29, 1964) was a Dutch pianist and composer. His compositional output was small due to the demands of performance and teaching, but he was nonetheless awarded a number of compositio ...
(1887–1964). Andriessen originally studied with his father and
Kees van Baaren Kees van Baaren (;In isolation, ''van'' is pronounced . 22 October 1906 – 2 September 1970) was a Dutch composer and teacher. Early years Van Baaren was born in Enschede. His early studies (1924–29) were in Berlin with Rudolph Breithaup ...
at the Royal Conservatory of The Hague, graduating in 1961 with a first prize, before embarking upon two years of study with Italian composer Luciano Berio in Milan and Berlin. His father introduced him to the works of
Francis Poulenc Francis Jean Marcel Poulenc (; 7 January 189930 January 1963) was a French composer and pianist. His compositions include mélodie, songs, solo piano works, chamber music, choral pieces, operas, ballets, and orchestral concert music. Among th ...
and Eric Satie which he came to love. From 1961-65, Andriessen wrote for the daily '' De Volkskrant'', and for ''
De Gids ''De Gids'' (meaning ''The Guide'' in English) is the oldest Dutch literary periodical still published today. It was founded in 1837 by Everhardus Johannes Potgieter and Christianus Robidé van der Aa. Long regarded as the most prestigious literary ...
'' magazine from 1966-69. Andriessen lived in Amsterdam starting in 1965. In 1969, he was part of a group of protesters at a concert of the Concertgebouw Orchestra. They disrupted the concert with nutcrackers and bicycle horns, handing out leaflets on the dismal representation of Dutch new music in the orchestra's programming. The next year, he and the other "Nutcrackers" were given one-week prison sentences, and yet their protest sparked something of a social reform in the Dutch music scene. Andriessen was internationally recognised as a composer with his 1976 ''De Staat'' which included texts from Plato's '' Republic''. He was one of the founders of the Hague School, an avant-garde and minimalist movement from the second half of the 20th century. In later decades, he accepted commissions from major orchestras, including the
San Francisco Symphony The San Francisco Symphony (SFS), founded in 1911, is an American orchestra based in San Francisco, California. Since 1980 the orchestra has been resident at the Louise M. Davies Symphony Hall in the city's Hayes Valley neighborhood. The San Fra ...
, the
Los Angeles Philharmonic The Los Angeles Philharmonic, commonly referred to as the LA Phil, is an American orchestra based in Los Angeles, California. It has a regular season of concerts from October through June at the Walt Disney Concert Hall, and a summer season at th ...
, the
BBC Symphony Orchestra The BBC Symphony Orchestra (BBC SO) is a British orchestra based in London. Founded in 1930, it was the first permanent salaried orchestra in London, and is the only one of the city's five major symphony orchestras not to be self-governing. T ...
and the New York Philharmonic. Andriessen was the focus of festivals in Tanglewood (1994), London (1994; 2002), Tokyo (2000), Brisbane (2001) and New York (2004). In 2008, he was elected an honorary member of the International Society for Contemporary Music ISCM. He held the Richard and Barbara Debs Composer's Chair at
Carnegie Hall Carnegie Hall ( ) is a concert venue in Midtown Manhattan in New York City. It is at 881 Seventh Avenue, occupying the east side of Seventh Avenue between West 56th and 57th Streets. Designed by architect William Burnet Tuthill and built b ...
during the 2009–10 season.


Ensembles

In 1969, Andriessen co-founded Studio voor Elektro-Instrumentale Muziek
STEIM STEIM (STudio for Electro Instrumental Music) was a center for research and development of new musical instruments in the electronic performing arts, located in Amsterdam, Netherlands. Beginning in the 1970's, STEIM became known as a pioneering ce ...
in Amsterdam. In opposition to the classical orchestra, a structure seen as "hierarchical", he also helped founding the instrumental groups Orkest de Volharding and
Hoketus Hoketus was an amplified musical ensemble founded by Dutch composer Louis Andriessen in the Netherlands in 1976. The group was originally formed to perform Louis Andriessen's minimal composition ''Hoketus'', but remained together and began to p ...
, both of which performed compositions of the same names, formed by classical, jazz and pop musicians. He later became closely involved with the Schonberg and Asko ensembles and inspired the formation of the British ensemble Icebreaker.


Teaching

Andriessen joined the faculty of the Royal Conservatory in 1974. He taught instrumentation from 1974 to 1978 and taught composition there from 1978 to 2012, where he influenced notable students including Michel van der Aa,
Richard Ayres Richard Ayres (born 29 October 1965, Cornwall) is a British composer and music teacher. Biography Born in Cornwall, England, Richard Ayres followed Morton Feldman's classes at the Darmstadt and Dartington summer schools. He studied composition, ...
and
Steve Martland Steve Martland (10 October 1954 – 7 May 2013) was an English composer. He helped to curate the Factory Classical label of Factory Records, featuring contemporary British composers. Life and music Martland was born in Liverpool, and studied co ...
. Yale University invited him in 1987 to lecture on theory and composition, he was also guest lecturer at
New York State University The State University of New York (SUNY, , ) is a system of public colleges and universities in the State of New York. It is one of the largest comprehensive system of universities, colleges, and community colleges in the United States. Led by ...
, Buffalo (1989) and
Princeton Princeton University is a private research university in Princeton, New Jersey. Founded in 1746 in Elizabeth as the College of New Jersey, Princeton is the fourth-oldest institution of higher education in the United States and one of the nin ...
(1996). The arts faculty of the
University of Leiden Leiden University (abbreviated as ''LEI''; nl, Universiteit Leiden) is a public research university in Leiden, Netherlands. The university was founded as a Protestant university in 1575 by William, Prince of Orange, as a reward to the city of L ...
appointed him professor in 2004. One of his students was Raminta Šerkšnytė, a lithuanian pianist and composer.


Personal life

Andriessen was married to guitarist Jeanette Yanikian (1935–2008). They were a couple for over 40 years, and were married in 1996. ''La Commedia'' is dedicated to Yanikian. He was married in 2012 a second time to violinist
Monica Germino Monica Germino (born 1974) is an American and Dutch violinist. Germino spent her early years in Virginia, US. She is a graduate of Yale and the New England Conservatory. In 1993 she received a grant to study music in The Netherlands. Germino res ...
, for whom he wrote several works. In December 2020, she announced that the composer was suffering from dementia. He died on 1 July 2021 in
Weesp Weesp () is a city, an urban area in the municipality of Amsterdam and a former municipality in the province of North Holland, Netherlands. It had a population of in . It lies on the river Vecht and next to the Amsterdam–Rhine Canal in an ar ...
at age 82.


Style and notable works

Andriessen began in the style of an intentionally dry
neoclassicism Neoclassicism (also spelled Neo-classicism) was a Western cultural movement in the decorative arts, decorative and visual arts, literature, theatre, music, and architecture that drew inspiration from the art and culture of classical antiquity. ...
, but then turned into a strict serialist. His early works show experimentation with various contemporary trends: post-war serialism (''Series'', 1958), pastiche (''Anachronie I'', 1966–67), and tape (''Il Duce'', 1973). His reaction to what he perceived as the
conservatism Conservatism is a cultural, social, and political philosophy that seeks to promote and to preserve traditional institutions, practices, and values. The central tenets of conservatism may vary in relation to the culture and civilization in ...
of much of the Dutch contemporary music scene quickly moved him to form a radically alternative musical aesthetic of his own. From the early 1970s on he refused to write for conventional symphony orchestras and instead opted to write for his own
idiosyncratic An idiosyncrasy is an unusual feature of a person (though there are also other uses, see below). It can also mean an odd habit. The term is often used to express eccentricity or peculiarity. A synonym may be " quirk". Etymology The term "idiosyncr ...
instrumental combinations, which often retain some traditional orchestral instruments alongside electric guitars,
electric bass The bass guitar, electric bass or simply bass (), is the lowest-pitched member of the string family. It is a plucked string instrument similar in appearance and construction to an electric or an acoustic guitar, but with a longer neck and ...
es, and congas. Andriessen repeatedly used his music for political confessions and messages, but he also referred to painting and philosophy. His range of inspiration was wide, from the music of
Charles Ives Charles Edward Ives (; October 20, 1874May 19, 1954) was an American modernist composer, one of the first American composers of international renown. His music was largely ignored during his early career, and many of his works went unperformed f ...
in ''Anachronie I'', the art of Mondriaan in ''De Stijl'', and medieval poetic visions in ''Hadewijch'', to writings on shipbuilding and atomic theory in '' De Materie'' Part I. Andriessen's later style is a unique blend of American sounds and European forms. His mature music combines the influences of jazz, American
minimalism In visual arts, music and other media, minimalism is an art movement that began in post– World War II in Western art, most strongly with American visual arts in the 1960s and early 1970s. Prominent artists associated with minimalism include ...
, Igor Stravinsky, and
Claude Vivier Claude Vivier ( ; baptised as Claude Roger; 14 April 19487 March 1983) was a Canadian contemporary composer, pianist, poet and ethnomusicologist of Québécois origin. After studying with Karlheinz Stockhausen in Cologne, Vivier became an in ...
. The music consists of minimalist polyrhythms, lyrical melodic fragments, predominantly consonant harmonies disrupted by explosive blocks of concentrated dissonance. Andriessen's music thus departs from post-war European serialism and its offshoots. By the 21st century he was widely regarded as Europe's most important minimalist composer. His notable works include '' Workers Union'' (1975), a melodically indeterminate piece "for any loud sounding group of instruments" whose score specifies rhythm and contour but not exact pitch; ''Mausoleum'' (1979) for two baritones and large ensemble; ''De Tijd'' (''Time'', 1979–81) for female singers and ensemble; ''De Snelheid'' (''Velocity'', 1982–83), for three amplified ensembles; '' De Materie'' (''Matter'', 1984–88), a large four-part work for voices and ensemble; collaborations with filmmaker and
librettist A libretto (Italian for "booklet") is the text used in, or intended for, an extended musical work such as an opera, operetta, masque, oratorio, cantata or Musical theatre, musical. The term ''libretto'' is also sometimes used to refer to the t ...
Peter Greenaway on the film ''M is for Man, Music, Mozart'' and the operas '' Rosa: A Horse Drama'' (1994) and ''
Writing to Vermeer ''Writing to Vermeer'' is an opera in six scenes composed by Louis Andriessen with incidental electronic music by Michel van der Aa. The English-language libretto, inspired by the paintings of Johannes Vermeer, was written by Peter Greenaway. Sas ...
'' (1998); and ''La Passione'' (2000–02) for female voice, violin and ensemble. His opera ''
La Commedia ''La Commedia'' is an opera in five parts composed by Louis Andriessen. A retelling of Dante's ''Divine Comedy'', the multi-language libretto was constructed by Andriessen using extracts from Dante's poem as well as several other sources including ...
'', based on Dante's ''
Divine Comedy The ''Divine Comedy'' ( it, Divina Commedia ) is an Italian narrative poem by Dante Alighieri, begun 1308 and completed in around 1321, shortly before the author's death. It is widely considered the pre-eminent work in Italian literature a ...
'', is particularly renowned; it won the 2011
Grawemeyer Award for Music Composition The Grawemeyer Award for Music Composition () is an annual prize instituted by Henry Charles Grawemeyer, industrialist and entrepreneur, at the University of Louisville in 1984. The award was first given in 1985. Subsequently, the Grawemeyer Awar ...
and was selected in 2019 by critics at '' The Guardian'' as No 7 of the then most outstanding compositions of the 21st century.


Awards and honours

* 1959 Gaudeamus International Composers Award * 1977
Matthijs Vermeulen Award The Matthijs Vermeulen Award is the most important Dutch composition prize. It was named after the Dutch composer Matthijs Vermeulen (1888–1967). During the years 1972 through 2004, the prize was awarded annually by the Amsterdam Foundation ...
for ''De Staat'' * 1977 UNESCO International Rostrum of Composers in Paris * 1992
Matthijs Vermeulen Award The Matthijs Vermeulen Award is the most important Dutch composition prize. It was named after the Dutch composer Matthijs Vermeulen (1888–1967). During the years 1972 through 2004, the prize was awarded annually by the Amsterdam Foundation ...
for M. is for Man, Music and Mozart; Facing Death, Dances, Hout en Lacrimosa * 1993 Edison Award * 2010 Honorary doctorate from the
Birmingham City University , mottoeng = "Do what you are doing; attend to your business" , established = 1992—gained university status1971—City of Birmingham Polytechnic1843— Birmingham College of Art , type = Public , affiliation = ...
* 2011
Grawemeyer Award for Music Composition The Grawemeyer Award for Music Composition () is an annual prize instituted by Henry Charles Grawemeyer, industrialist and entrepreneur, at the University of Louisville in 1984. The award was first given in 1985. Subsequently, the Grawemeyer Awar ...
for the multimedia opera ''
La Commedia ''La Commedia'' is an opera in five parts composed by Louis Andriessen. A retelling of Dante's ''Divine Comedy'', the multi-language libretto was constructed by Andriessen using extracts from Dante's poem as well as several other sources including ...
'' (2004–2008). * 2016 Marie-Josée Kravis Prize for New Music * 2019 Honorary doctorate from the University of Amsterdam


Works

Andriessen's primary publishers are
Boosey & Hawkes Boosey & Hawkes is a British music publisher purported to be the largest specialist classical music publisher in the world. Until 2003, it was also a major manufacturer of brass, string and woodwind musical instruments. Formed in 1930 throu ...
and
Donemus Donemus (compounded from Documentatiecentrum nederlandse muziek) is the Dutch institute dealing with the documentation of contemporary music composed in the Netherlands. Originally a publisher of scores, between 1960 and 2000 Donemus also publish ...
. Complete list of works:The Living Composers Project
Composers21.com. Retrieved on 26 October 2013.
* ''Rondo Barbaro'' (1954) for piano * ''Sonata'' (1956) for flute and piano (dedicated to Lucas van Regteren Altena)Donemus catalogue
* ''Elegy'' (1957) for cello and piano * ''Elegy'' (1957) for double bass and piano (arrangement by Quirijn van Regteren Altena) * ''Nuit d'été'' (1957) for piano four hands * ''Quartet in two movements'' (1957) for string quartet * ''Séries'' (1958) for 2 pianos * ''Nocturnen'' (1959) (text by the composer) for 2 sopranos, orchestra (dedicated to Jeanette Yanikian) * ''Percosse'' (1959) for flute, trumpet, bassoon and percussion * ''Prospettive e Retrospettive'' (1959) for piano * ''Trois Pièces'' (1961) for piano left hand * ''Aanloop en sprongen'' (1961) (Rincorsa e salti) for flute, oboe and clarinet in Bb * ''Ittrospezione I'' (1961) for piano 4 hands * ''Joli commentaire'' (1961) for piano 4 hands * ''Paintings'' (1961) for one flutist (or recorder player) and one pianist * ''Étude pour les timbres'' (1962) for piano * ''Triplum'' (1962) for guitar (dedicated to Jeanette Yanikian) * ''Canzone 3 (Utinam)'' (1962) for voice and piano * ''Constructions for a Ballet'' (1962, revision 2009) for orchestra, including ''Ondine, timbres voor orkest''Festival Dag in de Branding (edition 12)
Dagindebranding.nl.
* ''Plein-chant'' (1963) for flute and harp (dedicated to Eugenie van des Grinten and Veronica Reyns) * ''Ittrospezione II'' (1963) for large orchestra * ''Sweet'' (1964) for alto (treble) recorder (dedicated to Frans Brüggen) * ''Registers'' (1963) for piano * ''A flower song II'' (1964) for oboe solo * ''A flower song III'' (1964) for violoncello solo * ''Ittrospezione III (Concept I)'' (1964) for 2 pianos and 3 instrumental groups * ''Double'' (1965) for clarinet and piano (dedicated to George Pieterson and Tan Crone) * ''Ittrospezione III (Concept II)'' – Fragment (1965)
tenor saxophone The tenor saxophone is a medium-sized member of the saxophone family, a group of instruments invented by Adolphe Sax in the 1840s. The tenor and the alto are the two most commonly used saxophones. The tenor is pitched in the key of B (while t ...
ad libitum, 2 pianos (section of Ittrospezione III oncept II may be performed separately) * ''Beatles Songs'' (1966) (satirical arrangements of four Beatles songs) for female voice and piano * ''Souvenirs d'enfance'' (1954–1966) for piano. Including amongst others: Nocturne, Ricercare, Allegro Marcato, As you like it, Blokken, Strawinsky, Rondo opus 1, Étude pour les timbres, dotted quarter note = 70 * ''Rage, rage against the dying of the light'' (1966) for 4 trombones * ''Anachronie I'' (1966–67) for large orchestra * ''The Garden of Ryoan-gi'' (1967) for 3 electronic organs * ''Worum es ging und worum es geht'' (1967) (with
Misha Mengelberg Misha Mengelberg (5 June 1935 – 3 March 2017) was a Dutch jazz pianist and composer.Feather, Leonard & Gitler, Ira (2007) ''The Biographical Encyclopedia of Jazz'', p. 459. Oxford University Press. A prominent figure in post-WWII European Jazz ...
) for orchestra * ''Contra tempus'' (1967–1968) for large ensemble * ''Choralvorspiele'' (1969) for
barrel organ A barrel organ (also called roller organ or crank organ) is a French mechanical musical instrument consisting of bellows and one or more ranks of pipes housed in a case, usually of wood, and often highly decorated. The basic principle is the sa ...
* ''Anachronie II'' (1969) for
oboe The oboe ( ) is a type of double reed woodwind instrument. Oboes are usually made of wood, but may also be made of synthetic materials, such as plastic, resin, or hybrid composites. The most common oboe plays in the treble or soprano range. ...
, small orchestra (4
horn Horn most often refers to: *Horn (acoustic), a conical or bell shaped aperture used to guide sound ** Horn (instrument), collective name for tube-shaped wind musical instruments *Horn (anatomy), a pointed, bony projection on the head of various a ...
s, harp, piano, strings) * ''Hoe het is'' (1969) for 52 strings and live electronics * ''Sonate op. 2 nr. 1'' (1969) for piano with interruptions from string quartet (based on Piano Sonata No. 1 by Ludwig van Beethoven)Festival Dag in de Branding (edition 12)
Dagindebranding.nl.
* ' (1969) (with
Reinbert de Leeuw Reinbert de Leeuw (8 September 1938 – 14 February 2020) was a Dutch conductor, pianist and composer. Life Lambertus Reinier de Leeuw's mother and father were both psychiatrists: Cornelis Homme 'Kees' de Leeuw (1905-1953) and Adriana Judina ...
,
Misha Mengelberg Misha Mengelberg (5 June 1935 – 3 March 2017) was a Dutch jazz pianist and composer.Feather, Leonard & Gitler, Ira (2007) ''The Biographical Encyclopedia of Jazz'', p. 459. Oxford University Press. A prominent figure in post-WWII European Jazz ...
,
Peter Schat Peter Ane Schat (5 June 1935, in Utrecht – 3 February 2003, in Amsterdam) was a Dutch composer. Schat studied composition with Kees van Baaren at the Utrecht Conservatoire and the Royal Conservatory of The Hague from 1952 until 1958, and the ...
,
Jan van Vlijmen Jan, JaN or JAN may refer to: Acronyms * Jackson, Mississippi (Amtrak station), US, Amtrak station code JAN * Jackson-Evers International Airport, Mississippi, US, IATA code * Jabhat al-Nusra (JaN), a Syrian militant group * Japanese Article Numb ...
; libretto by
Hugo Claus Hugo Maurice Julien Claus (; 5 April 1929 – 19 March 2008) was a leading Belgian author who published under his own name as well as various pseudonyms. Claus' literary contributions spanned the genres of drama, the novel, and poetry; he also ...
, Harry Mulisch) Morality opera for soloists, 3 mixed choruses (4 voices each), orchestra (11 winds, 7 brass, 2 guitars, 11 keyboards, 10 strings), live electronics * ''De negen symfonieën van Beethoven'' (1970) for ice cream bell, orchestra * ''Spektakel'' (1970) for improvisational ensemble (
saxophone The saxophone (often referred to colloquially as the sax) is a type of single-reed woodwind instrument with a conical body, usually made of brass. As with all single-reed instruments, sound is produced when a reed on a mouthpiece vibrates to ...
_bass_clarinet.html"_;"title="bass_clarinet.html"_;"title="_bass_clarinet">_bass_clarinet">bass_clarinet.html"_;"title="_bass_clarinet">_bass_clarinet_viola.html" ;"title="bass_clarinet">_bass_clarinet.html" ;"title="bass_clarinet.html" ;"title=" bass clarinet"> bass clarinet">bass_clarinet.html" ;"title=" bass clarinet"> bass clarinet viola">bass_clarinet">_bass_clarinet.html" ;"title="bass_clarinet.html" ;"title=" bass clarinet"> bass clarinet">bass_clarinet.html" ;"title=" bass clarinet"> bass clarinet viola, bass guitar, electronic organ [+ piano], percussion instrument, percussion [or other instruments]), small orchestra (12 winds, 4 horns, 6 percussion) * ''Vergeet mij niet'' (1970) (Forget me not) for oboe * ''Le voile du bonheur'' (1966–1971) for violin and piano * ''een, twee'' (1971) for organ, 10 instrumentalists and piano * ''In Memoriam'' (1971) for tape * ''Volkslied'' (1971) for an unlimited number and kinds of instruments (in all octaves) (based on the Dutch national anthem ''Wilhelmus van Nassouwe'' and on The Internationale) * ''De Volharding'' (1972) (Perseverance) for piano and wind instruments (written for Orkest de Volharding) * ''Dat gebeurt in Vietnam'' (1972) (That's going on in Vietnam) for wind ensemble * ''Arrangement of Solidaritätslied by Hanns Eisler'' (1972) for wind ensemble * ''Arrangement of Streikslied by Hanns Eisler'' (1972) for wind ensemble * ''Arrangement of In C by
Terry Riley Terrence Mitchell "Terry" Riley (born June 24, 1935) is an American composer and performing musician best known as a pioneer of the minimalist school of composition. Influenced by jazz and Indian classical music, his music became notable for i ...
'' (1972) for wind ensemble * ''Arrangement of Bereits sprach der Welt by Hanns Eisler'' (1972) for wind ensemble * ''Arrangement of Tango by Igor Stravinsky'' (1972) for wind ensemble * ''Arrangement of
La création du monde ''La Création du monde'', Op. 81a, is a 15-minute-long ballet composed by Darius Milhaud in 1922–23 to a libretto by Blaise Cendrars, which outlines the creation of the world based on African folk mythology. The premiere took place on 25 Oc ...
by Darius Milhaud'' (1972) for wind ensemble * ''Thanh Hoa'' (1972) (text by Nguyen Thai Mao) for voice and piano * ''Canzone 3: Utinam'' (1972) (text from the
Book of Job The Book of Job (; hbo, אִיּוֹב, ʾIyyōḇ), or simply Job, is a book found in the Ketuvim ("Writings") section of the Hebrew Bible (Tanakh), and is the first of the Poetic Books in the Old Testament of the Christian Bible. Scholars are ...
) for soprano, piano, 1962; Thanh Hoa (text by Nguyen Thay Mao), voice, piano * ''On Jimmy Yancey'' (1973) for 9 winds, piano and double bass (written for Orkest de Volharding) * ''Voor Sater'' (1973) for wind ensemble * ''Amsterdam Vrij'' (1973) for wind ensemble * ''Il Duce'' (1973) for tape * ''The family'' (1973) for ensemble (film music) * ''Melodie'' (1972–1974) for alto recorder (or other flute) and piano * ''Arrangement of Ipanema and Gavea from Saudades do Brasil by Darius Milhaud'' (1974) for wind ensemble * ''Il Principe'' (1974) (text by Niccolò Machiavelli) for 2 mixed choruses, 8 winds, 3 horns, tuba, bass guitar, piano * ''Wals'' (1974) for piano * ''Symfonieën der Nederlanden'' (1974) for 2 or more
symphonic band A concert band, also called a wind band, wind ensemble, wind symphony, wind orchestra, symphonic band, the symphonic winds, or symphonic wind ensemble, is a performing ensemble consisting of members of the woodwind, brass, and percussion famil ...
s (minimum 32 players) * ''Nederland, let op uw schoonheyt'' (1975) for symphonic band * '' Workers Union'' (1975) for any loud-sounding group of instruments * ''De Staat'' (1972–76) (text by Plato) for 2 sopranos, 2
mezzo-soprano A mezzo-soprano or mezzo (; ; meaning "half soprano") is a type of classical female singing voice whose vocal range lies between the soprano and the contralto voice types. The mezzo-soprano's vocal range usually extends from the A below middle C ...
s, 4 oboes (3rd, 4th + English horn), 4 horns, 4 trumpets, 3 trombones, bass trombone, 2 harps, 2 electric guitars, 4 violas, bass guitar, 2 pianos (also transcribed for two pianos in 1992 by Cees van Zeeland and Gerard Bouwhuis) * ''Mattheus passie'' (1976) (text by Louis Ferron) Music theatre work for 8 mixed voices, 2 oboes (both + English horn), Hammond organ, string quartet, double bass * ''
Hoketus Hoketus was an amplified musical ensemble founded by Dutch composer Louis Andriessen in the Netherlands in 1976. The group was originally formed to perform Louis Andriessen's minimal composition ''Hoketus'', but remained together and began to p ...
'' (1975–76) for 2 panpipes, 2 alto saxophones ad libitum, 2 bass guitars, 2 pianos, 2 electric pianos, 2 congas * ''Orpheus'' (1977) (text by
Lodewijk de Boer Lodewijk () is the Dutch name for Louis. In specific it may refer to: Given name Literature * Lodewijk Hartog van Banda (1916–2006), Dutch comic strip writer * Lodewijk Paul Aalbrecht Boon, (1912-1979) Flemish writer * Lodewijk van Deyssel ...
) Music theatre work for 8 mixed voices, lyricon, electric guitar, bass guitar, synthesizer, percussion * ''Symphonie voor losse snaren'' (1978) for 12 strings * ''Laat toch vrij die straat'' (1978) (text by Jaap van der Merwe) for voice and piano * ''Hymn to the Memory of Darius Milhaud'' (1978) (version of chamber work) * ''Felicitatie'' (1979) for 3 trumpets * ''Toespraak'' (1979) for speaker who also plays trombone * ''Mausoleum'' (1979 rev. 1981) (texts by
Mikhail Bakunin Mikhail Alexandrovich Bakunin (; 1814–1876) was a Russian revolutionary anarchist, socialist and founder of collectivist anarchism. He is considered among the most influential figures of anarchism and a major founder of the revolutionary ...
, Arthur Arnould) for 2 high
baritone A baritone is a type of classical male singing voice whose vocal range lies between the bass and the tenor voice-types. The term originates from the Greek (), meaning "heavy sounding". Composers typically write music for this voice in the r ...
s, orchestra (12 brass, 2 harps,
cimbalom The cimbalom (; ) or concert cimbalom is a type of chordophone composed of a large, trapezoidal box on legs with metal strings stretched across its top and a damping pedal underneath. It was designed and created by V. Josef Schunda in 1874 in ...
, 2 pianos, 2 percussion, minimum 10 strings, bass guitar) * ''Music for the film The Alien'' (1980) ( Rudolf van den Berg) * ''George Sand'' (1980) (text by Mia Meyer) Music theatre work for 8 mixed voices, 4 pianos * ''Un beau baiser'' (1980) for mixed chorus * ''Messe des pauvres by Erik Satie'', arrangement by Louis Andriessen for choir, 15 solo strings, accordion, contrabass clarinet and harp (1980) * ''Ende'' (1981) for 2 alto recorders (1 player) (dedicated to Frans Brüggen) * ''Anfang'' (1981) for sopranino recorder and piano * ''De Tijd'' (1979–81) (text by St. Augustine of Hippo) for female chorus, percussion ensemble, orchestra (6 flutes, 2 alto flutes, 3 clarinets, contrabass clarinet, 6 trumpets, 2 harps, 2 pianos, Hammond organ, strings, 2 bass guitars) * ''Commentaar'' (1981) (text by Wilhelm Schön) for voice and piano * ''La voce'' (1981) (to a text by
Cesare Pavese Cesare Pavese ( , ; 9 September 1908 – 27 August 1950) was an Italian novelist, poet, short story writer, translator, literary critic, and essayist. He is often referred to as one of the most influential Italian writers of his time. Early lif ...
) for cello and voice * ''Disco'' (1982) for violin and piano * ''Overture to Orpheus'' (1982) for
harpsichord A harpsichord ( it, clavicembalo; french: clavecin; german: Cembalo; es, clavecín; pt, cravo; nl, klavecimbel; pl, klawesyn) is a musical instrument played by means of a keyboard. This activates a row of levers that turn a trigger mechanism ...
* ''De Snelheid'' (1982–83 rev. 1984) for 3 amplified ensembles * ''Y después'' (1983) (text by Federico García Lorca) for voice and piano * ''Menuet voor Marianne'' (1983) for piano * ''Trepidus'' (1983) for piano * ''Doctor Nero'' (1984) Music theatre work * ''Berceuse voor Annie van Os'' (1985) for piano * ''De Lijn'' (1986) for 3 flutes * ''Dubbelspoor'' (1986 rev. 1994) Ballet music for piano, harpsichord,
celesta The celesta or celeste , also called a bell-piano, is a struck idiophone operated by a keyboard. It looks similar to an upright piano (four- or five- octave), albeit with smaller keys and a much smaller cabinet, or a large wooden music box ...
,
glockenspiel The glockenspiel ( or , : bells and : set) or bells is a percussion instrument consisting of pitched aluminum or steel bars arranged in a Musical keyboard, keyboard layout. This makes the glockenspiel a type of metallophone, similar to the vibra ...
* '' De Materie'' (1984–88) (texts from the Plakkaat van Verlatinge,
Nicolaes Witsen Nicolaes Witsen (8 May 1641 – 10 August 1717; modern Dutch: ''Nicolaas Witsen'') was a Dutch statesman who was mayor of Amsterdam thirteen times, between 1682 and 1706. In 1693 he became administrator of the Dutch East India Company (VOC). I ...
, David Gorlaeus, Hadewijch, M.H.J. Schoenmaekers, Madame van Domselaer-Middelkoop,
Willem Kloos Willem Johannes Theodorus Kloos (; 6 May 1859 – 31 March 1938) was a nineteenth-century Dutch poet and literary critic. He was one of the prominent figures of the Movement of Eighty and became editor in chief of ''De Nieuwe Gids'' after the ed ...
, Marie Curie,
Françoise Giroud Françoise Giroud, born Lea France Gourdji (21 September 1916 in Lausanne, Switzerland and not in Geneva as often written – 19 January 2003 in Neuilly-sur-Seine) was a French journalist, screenwriter, writer, and politician. Biography Giroud ...
). Music theatre work for soprano, tenor, 2 female speakers, 8 amplified mixed voices, amplified orchestra (15 winds, 13 brass, harp, 2 electric guitars, 2 pianos ne + electric piano off-stage upright piano, celesta, 2 synthesizers, 6 percussion, minimum 9 strings, bass guitar. Two of its four sections may be performed separately as concert works: Hadewijch, De Stijl * ''De Toren'' (1988, rev. 2000) for
carillon A carillon ( , ) is a pitched percussion instrument that is played with a keyboard and consists of at least 23 cast-bronze bells. The bells are hung in fixed suspension and tuned in chromatic order so that they can be sounded harmonio ...
* ''Nietzsche redet'' (1989) (text by Friedrich Nietzsche) for speaker, alto flute, English horn, clarinet, bass clarinet,
bassoon The bassoon is a woodwind instrument in the double reed family, which plays in the tenor and bass ranges. It is composed of six pieces, and is usually made of wood. It is known for its distinctive tone color, wide range, versatility, and virtuos ...
, 2 violins, viola, 2 celli, double bass, 2 pianos * ''Flora Tristan'' (1990) for mixed choir a cappella (text by Fleur Bourgonje) * ''Facing Death'' (1990) for amplified string quartet * ''Facing Death'' (1990) for saxophone quartet (arrangement by Aurelia Saxophone Quartet) * ''Dances'' (1991) (text by
Joan Grant Joan Marshall Grant Kelsey (London, 12 April 1907 – 3 February 1989) was an English writer of historical novels and a reincarnationist. Life Joan Marshall was born 12 April 1907, in London, daughter of John Frederick Marshall and Blanche Emil ...
, choreography by Bianca van Dillen) For soprano, small orchestra (amplified harp, amplified piano, percussion, strings). May be performed as a concert work. * ''M is for Man, Music, Mozart'' (1991) (texts by the composer, Jeroen van der Linden, Peter Greenaway) for female jazz voice, flute (+ piccolo), soprano saxophone, alto saxophone, tenor saxophone, horn, 3 trumpets, 2 trombones, bass trombone, double bass, piano (TV score; may be performed as a concert work with one additional song) * ''Lacrimosa'' (1991) for 2 bassoons * ''Lacrimosa'' (1991) for 2 flutes (arrangement by Manuel Zurria) * ''Hout'' (1991) for tenor saxophone, electric guitar, piano and
marimba The marimba () is a musical instrument in the percussion family that consists of wooden bars that are struck by mallets. Below each bar is a resonator pipe that amplifies particular harmonics of its sound. Compared to the xylophone, the timbre ...
(+ woodblocks) * ''Romance voor Caecilia'' (1991) for piano * ''Nadir en Zenit'' (1992) improvisations on poems by Sybren Polet for voice and piano (+ synthesizer) * ''...not being sundered'' (1992) (text by Rainer Maria Rilke) for soprano, flute, cello * ''Song Lines'' (1992) for 3–6 saxophones * ''Deuxième chorale'' (1992) for music box * ''The Memory of Roses'' (1992) for piano (+ toy piano) * ''Chorale'' (1992) for piano * ''M is Muziek, Monoloog en Moord'' (1993) (text by Lodewijk de Boer) Music theatre work * ''Lied'' (1993) for piano * '' Rosa – A Horse Drama: The Death of a Composer'' (1993–94) (libretto by Peter Greenaway) Opera for 2 sopranos, tenor, 2 baritones, female speaker, 8 mixed voices, orchestra. * ''Een lied van de zee'' (1994) (text by Hélène Swarth) for female voice * ''Zilver'' (1994) for flute, clarinet, violin, cello, piano, vibraphone and marimba * ''Base'' (1994) for piano left hand * ''Odysseus' Women'' (1995) (text by Homer, choreography by Beppie Blankert) for 2 sopranos, 2 altos, sampler * ''De komst van Willibrord'' (1995) for carillon * ''To Pauline O'' (1995) for oboe * ''Machmes Wos'' (1996) for voice, piano * ''Trilogie van de Laatste Dag'' (1996–97) (each of its three sections may be performed separately: (i) The Last Day (texts by Lucebert, folksong A Woman and Her Lass) for boy soprano, 4 male voices, orchestra; (ii) TAO (texts by Laozi, Kotaro Takamura) for 4 female voices, piano voice, koto small orchestra winds, 2 horns, harp, piano (+ celesta), 2 percussion, minimum 14 strings (iii) Dancing on the Bones (text by the composer) for children's chorus, orchestra, 1997) * ''De herauten'' (1997) for 3 horns, 3 trumpets, 3 trombones, tuba, timpani * ''Not an Anfang'' (1997) for piano * ''De eerste minnaar'' (1998) (text by
Toon Tellegen Antonius Otto Hermannus (Toon) Tellegen (born 18 November 1941) is a Dutch writer, poet, and physician, known for children's books, especially those featuring anthropomorphised animals, particularly those about an ant and a squirrel. His writi ...
) for boy soprano, organ, 1998 (section of music theatre work Oldenbarneveldt; may be performed as a concert work) * ''Tuin van Zink'' (1998) for viola and live electronics * ''
Writing to Vermeer ''Writing to Vermeer'' is an opera in six scenes composed by Louis Andriessen with incidental electronic music by Michel van der Aa. The English-language libretto, inspired by the paintings of Johannes Vermeer, was written by Peter Greenaway. Sas ...
'' (1997–99) (libretto by Peter Greenaway) Opera for 2 children's voices, 2 sopranos, mezzo-soprano, female chorus, orchestra (7 winds, 2 horns, 2 trumpets nd + bass trumpet 2 harps, 2 electric guitars, cimbalom, 2 pianos, on-stage harpsichord, 2 percussion, minimum 22 strings), CD (music by Michel van der Aa) * ''Woodpecker'' (1999) for percussion * ''Image de Moreau'' (1999) for piano * ''Dirck Sweelinck Missed the Prince'' (1999) for harpsichord * ''Passeggiata in tram in America e ritorno'' (1999) (text by Dino Campana) for female Italian voice, violin and piano * ''What Shall I Buy You, Son?'' (2000) for voice, piano * ''Boodschappenlijstje van een gifmengster'' (2000) (text by the composer) for vocalist (also writes), voice (may be performed as Shopping List of a Poisoner ranslated by Nicoline Gatehouse* ''Inanna's Descent'' (2000) for mezzo-soprano, piccolo, oboe, violin, piano, 2 percussion ensembles (4–12 total players) * ''The New Math(s)'' (2000) (text by
Hal Hartley Hal Hartley (born November 3, 1959) is an American film director, screenwriter, producer and composer who became a key figure in the American independent film movement of the 1980s and '90s. He is best known for his films '' The Unbelievable Tr ...
) for soprano, transverse flute, violin, marimba, CD (music by Michel van der Aa), 2000 (film score; may be performed as a concert work) * ''Feli-citazione'' (2000) for piano * ''Passeggiata in tram in America e ritorno'' (2001) (text by Dino Campana) for female Italian voice, 3 trumpets, 3 trombones, electric guitar, electric violin, double bass, piano, percussion, 1998 (also version for voice, flute, horn, 3 trumpets, 3 trombones, amplified violin, double bass, piano * ''De vleugels van de herinnering'' (2001) (text by Larissa Tiginachvili utch translation for voice, piano * ''Fanfare om te beginnen'' (2001) for 6 groups of horns * ''La Passione'' (2000–02) (text by Dino Campana) for female jazz voice, violin, small orchestra (7 winds, 7 brass, electric guitar, cimbalom, 2 pianos, synthesizer, 2 percussion, 3 violins, bass guitar) * ''Very Sharp Trumpet Sonata'' (2002) for trumpet * ''Tuin van Eros'' (Garden of Eros) (2002) for string quartet * ''Klokken voor Haarlem'' (Bells for Haarlem) (2002) for piano, celesta, synthesizer, vibraphone (+ glockenspiel) * ''Pupazzetti'' by Alfredo Casella, arranged by Louis Andriessen for ensemble in 2002–2003 * ''Inanna'' (2003) texts by Hal Hartley, Theo J.H. Krispijn) for 4 voices, 3 actors, mixed chorus, contrabass clarinet, 4 saxophones, violin, film (by Hal Hartley) * ''Letter from Cathy'' (2003) (text from a letter by
Cathy Berberian Catherine Anahid Berberian (July 4, 1925 – March 6, 1983) was an American mezzo-soprano and composer based in Italy. She worked closely with many contemporary avant-garde music composers, including Luciano Berio, Bruno Maderna, John Cage, Henr ...
to the composer) for female jazz voice, harp, violin, double bass, piano, percussion * ''Tuin van Eros'' (2003) for violin and piano * ''RUTTMANN Opus II, III, IV'' (2003) for flute, 3 saxophones, horn, 3 trumpets, 3 trombones, double bass, piano (film music for a film of Walter Ruttman, written for the Filmmuseum Biennale 2003) * ''Haags Hakkûh'' (The Hague Hacking) (2003) for 2 pianos. Renamed to Haags Hakkûh Stukje (The Hague Hacking Scrap) in 2008. * ''Racconto dall'inferno'' (2004) (text by Dante Alighieri) for female jazz voice, small orchestra (8 winds, 6 brass, guitar, cimbalom, 2 pianos, 2 percussion, minimum 8 strings, bass guitar). Part II of La Commedia (2004–08). * ''De Opening'' (2005) for ensemble (combined Orkest de Volharding, ASKO Ensemble, Schoenberg Ensemble) * ''Vermeer Pictures'' (2005) concert suite for orchestra from ''Writing to Vermeer'' (arrangement by Clark Rundell) * ''XENIA'' (2005) for violin * ''Hymn to the memory of Darius Milhaud'' for ensemble (1974/2006) * ''Hellende Fanfare'' (Inclined fanfare; Fanfara inclinata) (2006) for voice and ensemble (Text by Dino Campana) * ''Raadsels'' (Riddle) (2006) for solo violin * '' Johann Sebastian Bach's Prelude in b minor from the Well-Tempered Clavier BWV 866'', arranged for string quartet with the first six bars augmented with a viola part by Igor Stravinsky, completed by Louis Andriessen (2006) * ''..miserere...'' (2006–07) for string quartet * ''The City of Dis or: The Ship of Fools'' (2007) for voices and ensemble. Part I of La Commedia (2004–08). * ''
La Commedia ''La Commedia'' is an opera in five parts composed by Louis Andriessen. A retelling of Dante's ''Divine Comedy'', the multi-language libretto was constructed by Andriessen using extracts from Dante's poem as well as several other sources including ...
'' (2004–08). Film opera in five parts (texts by Dante and Vondel and from the Old Testament) * ''Haags Hakkûh'' (The Hague Hacking) (2008) for two pianos and large ensemble * ''Christiaan Andriessens uitzicht op de Amstel'' (Christiaan Andriessen's view on the river Amstel) (2009) for ensemble * ''Life'' (2009) for ensemble, with film by Marijke van Warmerdam * ''Anaïs Nin'' (2009/10) for singer, ensemble and film *''La Girò'' (2011), for violin solo and ensemble * ''Mysteriën'' (2013), for orchestra * ''Tapdance'' (2013), concerto for percussion and large ensemble * ''Two way ticket'' (2014), for piano * '' Theatre of the World'' (2013–15), a 'grotesque stagework' in nine scenes (Libretto by Helmut Krausser) * ''Mach's mit mir, Gott'' (Do unto me, God) (2016), for organ * ''Signs and Symbols'' (2016), for wind ensemble and percussion * ''Ahania Weeping'' (2016), for mixed chorus * ''De goddelijke routine'' (The divine routine) (2017), for organ * ''Rimsky or La Monte Young'' (2017), for piano * ''Agamemnon'' (2017), for speaker and large orchestra * ''Searching for unison'' (étude) (2018), for piano * ''The Only One'' (2018), song cycle for female jazz singer and large ensemble, dedicated to Nora Fischer, who premiered the work at The Proms 2019 * ''May'' (2019), for choir and orchestra


References


Sources

*


Further reading

* Adlington, Robert: ''De Staat''. Hants. (UK): Ashgate (2004). * Andriessen, Louis and Elmer Schonberger (trans. Jeff Hamburg): ''The Apollonian Clockwork: On Stravinsky'' Amsterdam: Amsterdam UP (reprint, 2006). * Everett, Yayoi Uno. ''The Music of Louis Andriessen''. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press (2006). . * Zegers, Mirjam (ed.): Trans. Clare Yates. ''The Art of Stealing Time''. Arc Publications. .


External links

* *
Louis Andriessen / 1939 – 2021
( biography, works list, recordings and performance search)
Boosey and Hawkes Boosey & Hawkes is a British music publisher purported to be the largest specialist classical music publisher in the world. Until 2003, it was also a major manufacturer of brass, string and woodwind musical instruments. Formed in 1930 throug ...
2021 *
''Andriessen on Andriessen''
(documentary)
Louis Andriessen
Nonesuch Records * Robert Davidson
Louis Andriessen interview
topologymusic.com 2001
Composer's entry on IRCAM's database
{{DEFAULTSORT:Andriessen, Louis 1939 births 2021 deaths 20th-century classical composers 20th-century Dutch composers 20th-century Dutch male musicians 21st-century classical composers 21st-century Dutch composers 21st-century male musicians Composers for carillon Contemporary classical music performers Dutch classical composers Dutch classical pianists Dutch male classical composers Gaudeamus Composition Competition prize-winners International Rostrum of Composers prize-winners Male classical pianists Minimalist composers Nonesuch Records artists Musicians from Utrecht (city) Postmodern composers Pupils of Luciano Berio Royal Conservatory of The Hague alumni Royal Conservatory of The Hague faculty Twelve-tone and serial composers