Louis Andriessen
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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 A teacher, also called a schoolteacher or formally an educator, is a person who helps students to acquire knowledge, competence, or virtue, via the practice of teaching. ''Informally'' the role of teacher may be taken on by anyone (e.g. whe ...
. 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 and serialism, his style gradually shifted to a synthesis of American minimalism,
jazz Jazz is a music genre that originated in the African-American communities of New Orleans, Louisiana in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, with its roots in blues and ragtime. Since the 1920s Jazz Age, it has been recognized as a m ...
and the manner of Stravinsky. Born in
Utrecht Utrecht ( , , ) is the fourth-largest city and a municipality of the Netherlands, capital and most populous city of the province of Utrecht. It is located in the eastern corner of the Randstad conurbation, in the very centre of mainland Net ...
into a musical family, Andriessen studied with his father, the composer Hendrik Andriessen as well as composers Kees van Baaren 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'', 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 ...
'', 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 ''The Guardian'' is a British daily newspaper. It was founded in 1821 as ''The Manchester Guardian'', and changed its name in 1959. Along with its sister papers ''The Observer'' and ''The Guardian Weekly'', ''The Guardian'' is part of the Gu ...
'' as one of the most outstanding compositions of the 21st century.


Life and career

Andriessen was born in
Utrecht Utrecht ( , , ) is the fourth-largest city and a municipality of the Netherlands, capital and most populous city of the province of Utrecht. It is located in the eastern corner of the Randstad conurbation, in the very centre of mainland Net ...
on 6 June 1939 to a musical family, the son of the composer Hendrik Andriessen 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 (1887–1964). Andriessen originally studied with his father and Kees van Baaren 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 Milan ( , , Lombard: ; it, Milano ) is a city in northern Italy, capital of Lombardy, and the second-most populous city proper in Italy after Rome. The city proper has a population of about 1.4 million, while its metropolitan city h ...
and Berlin. His father introduced him to the works of Francis Poulenc and Eric Satie which he came to love. From 1961-65, Andriessen wrote for the daily '' De Volkskrant'', and for '' De Gids'' magazine from 1966-69. Andriessen lived in
Amsterdam Amsterdam ( , , , lit. ''The Dam on the River Amstel'') is the capital and most populous city of the Netherlands, with The Hague being the seat of government. It has a population of 907,976 within the city proper, 1,558,755 in the urban ar ...
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 Los Angeles Philharmonic, 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 The New York Philharmonic, officially the Philharmonic-Symphony Society of New York, Inc., globally known as New York Philharmonic Orchestra (NYPO) or New York Philharmonic-Symphony Orchestra, is a symphony orchestra based in New York City. It is ...
. 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 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 cen ...
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, 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 An icebreaker is a special-purpose ship or boat designed to move and navigate through ice-covered waters, and provide safe waterways for other boats and ships. Although the term usually refers to ice-breaking ships, it may also refer to smaller ...
.


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 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 Yale University is a Private university, private research university in New Haven, Connecticut. Established in 1701 as the Collegiate School, it is the List of Colonial Colleges, third-oldest institution of higher education in the United Sta ...
invited him in 1987 to lecture on theory and composition, he was also guest lecturer at New York State University, Buffalo (1989) and Princeton (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 Le ...
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, for whom he wrote several works. In December 2020, she announced that the composer was suffering from
dementia Dementia is a disorder which manifests as a set of related symptoms, which usually surfaces when the brain is damaged by injury or disease. The symptoms involve progressive impairments in memory, thinking, and behavior, which negatively affe ...
. 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 are ...
at age 82.


Style and notable works

Andriessen began in the style of an intentionally dry neoclassicism, 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 civilizati ...
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
orchestra An orchestra (; ) is a large instrumental ensemble typical of classical music, which combines instruments from different families. There are typically four main sections of instruments: * bowed string instruments, such as the violin, viola, c ...
s 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 guitar An electric guitar is a guitar that requires external amplification in order to be heard at typical performance volumes, unlike a standard acoustic guitar (however combinations of the two - a semi-acoustic guitar and an electric acoustic gu ...
s,
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 s ...
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 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, 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. The term ''libretto'' is also sometimes used to refer to the text of major litu ...
Peter Greenaway Peter Greenaway, (born 5 April 1942) is a Welsh film director, screenwriter and artist. His films are noted for the distinct influence of Renaissance and Baroque painting, and Flemish painting in particular. Common traits in his films are th ...
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'', 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 ...
'', 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 ''The Guardian'' is a British daily newspaper. It was founded in 1821 as ''The Manchester Guardian'', and changed its name in 1959. Along with its sister papers ''The Observer'' and ''The Guardian Weekly'', ''The Guardian'' is part of the Gu ...
'' 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 f ...
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 f ...
for M. is for Man, Music and Mozart; Facing Death, Dances, Hout en Lacrimosa * 1993
Edison Award The Edison Award is an annual Dutch music prize awarded for outstanding achievements in the music industry. It is comparable to the American Grammy Award. The Edison award itself is a bronze replica of a statuette of Thomas Edison, designed b ...
* 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'' (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 and Donemus. 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 The piano is a stringed keyboard instrument in which the strings are struck by wooden hammers that are coated with a softer material (modern hammers are covered with dense wool felt; some early pianos used leather). It is played using a keybo ...
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 The guitar is a fretted musical instrument that typically has six strings. It is usually held flat against the player's body and played by strumming or plucking the strings with the dominant hand, while simultaneously pressing selected strin ...
(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 ...
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 organ An electric organ, also known as electronic organ, is an electronic keyboard instrument which was derived from the harmonium, pipe organ and theatre organ. Originally designed to imitate their sound, or orchestral sounds, it has since developed ...
s * ''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 sam ...
* ''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 horns, 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 Ludwig van Beethoven (baptised 17 December 177026 March 1827) was a German composer and pianist. Beethoven remains one of the most admired composers in the history of Western music; his works rank amongst the most performed of the classic ...
)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 then ...
, Jan van Vlijmen; libretto by
Hugo Claus Hugo Maurice Julien Claus (; 5 April 1929 – 19 March 2008) was a leading Belgian literature, Belgian author who published under his own name as well as various pseudonyms. Claus' literary contributions spanned the genres of drama, the novel, a ...
, 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 instrument, single-reed woodwind instrument with a conical body, usually made of brass. As with all single-reed instruments, sound is produced when a reed (mouthpi ...
_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 Hanns Eisler (6 July 1898 – 6 September 1962) was an Austrian composer (his father was Austrian, and Eisler fought in a Hungarian regiment in World War I). He is best known for composing the national anthem of East Germany, for his long artisti ...
'' (1972) for wind ensemble * ''Arrangement of Streikslied by Hanns Eisler'' (1972) for wind ensemble * ''Arrangement of In C by Terry Riley'' (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 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) 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 Niccolò di Bernardo dei Machiavelli ( , , ; 3 May 1469 – 21 June 1527), occasionally rendered in English as Nicholas Machiavel ( , ; see below), was an Italian diplomat, author, philosopher and historian who lived during the Renaissance. ...
) for 2 mixed choruses, 8 winds, 3 horns,
tuba The tuba (; ) is the lowest-pitched musical instrument in the brass family. As with all brass instruments, the sound is produced by lip vibrationa buzzinto a mouthpiece. It first appeared in the mid-19th century, making it one of the ne ...
, 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 fami ...
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-sopranos, 4 oboes (3rd, 4th + English horn), 4 horns, 4
trumpet The trumpet is a brass instrument commonly used in classical and jazz ensembles. The trumpet group ranges from the piccolo trumpet—with the highest register in the brass family—to the bass trumpet, pitched one octave below the standard ...
s, 3
trombone The trombone (german: Posaune, Italian, French: ''trombone'') is a musical instrument in the brass family. As with all brass instruments, sound is produced when the player's vibrating lips cause the air column inside the instrument to vibrate ...
s, 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 Louis Ferron (born Karl Heinz Beckering; 4 February 1942 – 26 August 2005) was a Dutch novelist and poet. Biography Louis Ferron was born in Leiden out of an adulterous relationship between a married German soldier and a waitress from Haarlem ...
) Music theatre work for 8 mixed voices, 2 oboes (both + English horn), Hammond organ, string quartet, double bass * '' Hoketus'' (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) 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 Darius Milhaud (; 4 September 1892 – 22 June 1974) was a French composer, conductor, and teacher. He was a member of Les Six—also known as ''The Group of Six''—and one of the most prolific composers of the 20th century. His compositions ...
'' (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 s ...
, Arthur Arnould) for 2 high baritones, 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) for cello and voice * ''Disco'' (1982) for violin and piano * ''Overture to Orpheus'' (1982) for harpsichord * ''De Snelheid'' (1982–83 rev. 1984) for 3 amplified ensembles * ''Y después'' (1983) (text by
Federico García Lorca Federico del Sagrado Corazón de Jesús García Lorca (5 June 1898 – 19 August 1936), known as Federico García Lorca ( ), was a Spanish poet, playwright, and theatre director. García Lorca achieved international recognition as an emblemat ...
) 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, glockenspiel * '' 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 Marie Salomea Skłodowska–Curie ( , , ; born Maria Salomea Skłodowska, ; 7 November 1867 – 4 July 1934) was a Polish and naturalized-French physicist and chemist who conducted pioneering research on radioactivity. She was the first ...
,
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 * ''Nietzsche redet'' (1989) (text by
Friedrich Nietzsche Friedrich Wilhelm Nietzsche (; or ; 15 October 1844 – 25 August 1900) was a German philosopher, prose poet, cultural critic, philologist, and composer whose work has exerted a profound influence on contemporary philosophy. He began his ...
) for speaker, alto flute, English horn, clarinet, bass clarinet, bassoon, 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 Peter Greenaway, (born 5 April 1942) is a Welsh film director, screenwriter and artist. His films are noted for the distinct influence of Renaissance and Baroque painting, and Flemish painting in particular. Common traits in his films are th ...
) 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 A music box (American English) or musical box (British English) is an automatic musical instrument in a box that produces musical notes by using a set of pins placed on a revolving cylinder or disc to pluck the tuned teeth (or ''lamellae'' ...
* ''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 Opera is a form of theatre in which music is a fundamental component and dramatic roles are taken by singers. Such a "work" (the literal translation of the Italian word "opera") is typically a collaboration between a composer and a libr ...
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 The vibraphone is a percussion instrument in the metallophone family. It consists of tuned metal bars and is typically played by using mallets to strike the bars. A person who plays the vibraphone is called a ''vibraphonist,'' ''vibraharpist ...
and marimba * ''Base'' (1994) for piano left hand * ''Odysseus' Women'' (1995) (text by
Homer Homer (; grc, Ὅμηρος , ''Hómēros'') (born ) was a Greek poet who is credited as the author of the ''Iliad'' and the ''Odyssey'', two epic poems that are foundational works of ancient Greek literature. Homer is considered one of the ...
, 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 Timpani (; ) or kettledrums (also informally called timps) are musical instruments in the percussion family. A type of drum categorised as a hemispherical drum, they consist of a membrane called a head stretched over a large bowl traditionally ...
* ''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 writin ...
) 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 Dante Alighieri (; – 14 September 1321), probably baptized Durante di Alighiero degli Alighieri and often referred to as Dante (, ), was an Italian poet, writer and philosopher. His ''Divine Comedy'', originally called (modern Italian: '' ...
) 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 Johann Sebastian Bach (28 July 1750) was a German composer and musician of the late Baroque period. He is known for his orchestral music such as the '' Brandenburg Concertos''; instrumental compositions such as the Cello Suites; keyboard wo ...
'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'' (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 ''Theatre of the World'' is the fifth and last opera by Dutch composer Louis Andriessen, with a libretto by Helmut Krausser. Subtitled ''A Grotesque Stagework in 9 Scenes'', the work concerns itself with the life of 17th-century Jesuit scholar ...
'' (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 The BBC Proms or Proms, formally named the Henry Wood Promenade Concerts Presented by the BBC, is an eight-week summer season of daily orchestral classical music concerts and other events held annually, predominantly in the Royal Albert Hal ...
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 2021 *
''Andriessen on Andriessen''
(documentary)
Louis Andriessen
Nonesuch Records Nonesuch Records is an American record company and label owned by Warner Music Group, distributed by Warner Records (formerly called Warner Bros. Records), and based in New York City. Founded by Jac Holzman in 1964 as a budget classical label, No ...
* 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