Aafje Heynis (2 May 1924 – 16 December 2015) was a Dutch

contralto A contralto () is a classical music, classical female singing human voice, voice whose vocal range is the lowest of their voice type, voice types. The contralto's vocal range is fairly rare, similar to the mezzo-soprano, and almost identical to ...

. In 1961, she was awarded the

Harriet Cohen International Music Award The Harriet Cohen International Music Award was founded in 1951 by Sir Arnold Bax and others, in honour of the British pianist Harriet Cohen. It is to be distinguished from the Harriet Cohen Bach Prize, established in 1994, for the most deser ...

. A tea rose, hybridised by Buisman 1964, was named after her. She died on 16 December 2015, aged 91. Aafje heynis

Discography

Bach Johann Sebastian Bach (German: �joːhan zeˈbasti̯an baχ ( – 28 July 1750) was a German composer and musician of the late Baroque period. He is known for his prolific output across a variety of instruments and forms, including the or ...

Handel George Frideric (or Frederick) Handel ( ; baptised , ; 23 February 1685 – 14 April 1759) was a German-British Baroque composer well-known for his operas, oratorios, anthems, concerti grossi, and organ concerti. Born in Halle, Germany, H ...

: ''Sacred Arias'', Pierre Palla, Walther Schneiderhan (violinist), Nikolaus Hübner, Meindert Boekel;

Vienna Symphony Orchestra The Vienna Symphony (Vienna Symphony Orchestra, ) is an Austrian orchestra based in Vienna. Its primary concert venue is the Vienna Konzerthaus. In Vienna, the orchestra also performs at the Musikverein and at the Theater an der Wien. History ...

, Amsterdam Chamber Orchestra, Prop Musica Choir; Dir. Hans Gillesberger, Marinus Voorberg, Lex Karsemeijer. * Bach: ''Cantatas BWV 170 & 169, Sacred Songs'', Albert de Klerk, Simon Jansen; Netherlands Chamber Orchestra,

Netherlands Bach Society The Netherlands Bach Society () is the oldest ensemble for Baroque music in the Netherlands, and possibly in the world. The ensemble was founded in 1921 in Naarden to perform Bach's ''St Matthew Passion'' on Good Friday and has performed the work ...

Choir,

Szymon Goldberg Szymon Goldberg (1 June 1909 – 19 July 1993) was a Polish-born Jewish classical violinist and conductor, latterly an American. Born in Włocławek, Congress Poland, Goldberg played the violin as a child growing up in Warsaw. His first teacher ...

. *

Brahms Johannes Brahms (; ; 7 May 1833 – 3 April 1897) was a German composer, virtuoso pianist, and conductor of the mid- Romantic period. His music is noted for its rhythmic vitality and freer treatment of dissonance, often set within studied ye ...

: ''Choral Works & Overtures''. Vienna Singverein,

; Dir.

Wolfgang Sawallisch Wolfgang Sawallisch (26 August 1923 – 22 February 2013) was a German conductor and pianist. Biography Wolfgang Sawallisch was born in Munich, the son of Maria and Wilhelm Sawallisch. His father was director of the Hamburg-Bremer-Feuerversich ...

. * Brahms: ''

Alto Rhapsody The ''Alto Rhapsody'', Op. 53, is a composition for contralto, male chorus, and orchestra by Johannes Brahms, a setting of verses from Johann Wolfgang von Goethe's '' Harzreise im Winter''. It was written in 1869, as a wedding gift for Robert a ...

'', Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra, Apollo Royal Male Choir,

Eduard Van Beinum Eduard Alexander van Beinum (; 3 September 1900 – 13 April 1959) was a Dutch conductor. Biography Van Beinum was born in Arnhem, Netherlands, where he received his first violin and piano lessons at an early age. He joined the Arnhem Orche ...

(1958). * Brahms, ''

Vier ernste Gesänge ''Vier ernste Gesänge'' (''Four Serious Songs''), Op. 121, is a cycle of four songs for bass and piano by Johannes Brahms. As in his '' Ein deutsches Requiem'', the texts are compiled from the Luther Bible. Three songs deal with death and the ...

'', piano: Johan van den Boogert (1958). *

Mahler Gustav Mahler (; 7 July 1860 – 18 May 1911) was an Austro-Bohemian Romantic composer, and one of the leading conductors of his generation. As a composer he acted as a bridge between the 19th-century Austro-German tradition and the modernism ...

: ''Symphony No. 2 "Resurrection"'',

Elly Ameling Elisabeth Sara "Elly" Ameling (born 8 February 1933) is a Dutch soprano, who is particularly known for lieder recitals and for performing works by Johann Sebastian Bach. Performing with distinguished pianists and ensembles around the globe, she w ...

, Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra, Netherlands Radio Chorus,

Bernard Haitink Bernard Johan Herman Haitink (; 4 March 1929 – 21 October 2021) was a Dutch conductor and violinist. He was the principal conductor of several international orchestras, beginning with the Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra in 1961. He moved to Lond ...

, 1968. *

Schubert Franz Peter Schubert (; ; 31 January 179719 November 1828) was an Austrian composer of the late Classical period (music), Classical and early Romantic music, Romantic eras. Despite his short life, Schubert left behind a List of compositions ...

: ''Rosamunde'', Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra, Bernard Haitink. *

Antonio Vivaldi Antonio Lucio Vivaldi (4 March 1678 – 28 July 1741) was an Italian composer, virtuoso violinist, impresario of Baroque music and Roman Catholic priest. Regarded as one of the greatest Baroque composers, Vivaldi's influence during his lif ...

: ''The five compositions on Christ's Passion'' and ''Introduction to the Miserere'', I Solisti Di Milano, Angelo Ephrikian, 1966. ;Compilations * ''Het Puik van zoete kelen'' (''The Cream of Glorious Voices'') Philips Dutch Masters 464 385-2 (includes her performance "

Sea Slumber Song "Sea Slumber Song" is a 19th-century poem by Roden Noel set to music by Sir Edward Elgar as the first song in his song-cycle ''Sea Pictures'' (1899). Lyrics The poem here is as sung in ''Sea Pictures''. ''Italicised'' text indicates lines repea ...

" by

Edward Elgar Sir Edward William Elgar, 1st Baronet, (; 2 June 1857 – 23 February 1934) was an English composer, many of whose works have entered the British and international classical concert repertoire. Among his best-known compositions are orchestr ...

) * ''Les rarissimes de Aafje Heinis'': Gluck, Haydn, Dorjak, Franck, Caplet, Brahms, Schuinbert, R. Strauss, Wolf, Mahler (EMI, 2005)

References

External links

MusicWeb reviews of Philips Bach and Handel arias CD, accessed 21 January 2010

(Dutch – more extensive set of five pages)

(includes MP3 of Sir Edward Elgar's

)
Bach Cantatas page on Aafje Heynis
* {{DEFAULTSORT:Heynis, Aafje 1924 births 2015 deaths Operatic contraltos Entertainers from Zaanstad Dutch contraltos 20th-century Dutch women opera singers Converts to Roman Catholicism from Calvinism