Jef van Hoof (8 May 1886 – 24 April 1959) was a

Flemish Flemish may refer to: * Flemish, adjective for Flanders, Belgium * Flemish region, one of the three regions of Belgium *Flemish Community, one of the three constitutionally defined language communities of Belgium * Flemish dialects, a Dutch dialec ...

composer A composer is a person who writes music. The term is especially used to indicate composers of Western classical music, or those who are composers by occupation. Many composers are, or were, also skilled performers of music. Etymology and def ...

and

conductor Conductor or conduction may refer to: Biology and medicine * Bone conduction, the conduction of sound to the inner ear * Conduction aphasia, a language disorder Mathematics * Conductor (ring theory) * Conductor of an abelian variety * Cond ...

Biography

Born on 8 May 1866, in

Antwerp Antwerp (; ; ) is a City status in Belgium, city and a Municipalities of Belgium, municipality in the Flemish Region of Belgium. It is the capital and largest city of Antwerp Province, and the third-largest city in Belgium by area at , after ...

, van Hoof was a pupil of

Paul Gilson Paul Gilson (Brussels, 15 June 1865 – Brussels, 3 April 1942) was a Belgian musician and composer. Biography Paul Gilson was born in Brussels. In 1866, his family moved to Ruisbroek in the Belgian province of Brabant. There he studied th ...

and was heavily influenced by the works of

Peter Benoit Peter Benoit (17 August 18348 March 1901) was a Flemish people, Flemish composer of Belgian nationality. Biography Petrus Leonardus Leopoldus Benoit was born in Harelbeke, Flanders, Belgium in 1834. He was taught music at an early age by his fa ...

. His dedication to the Flemish cause led him to collaborate with the German occupiers in World War I, for which he was subsequently sentenced to eight months in prison. He studied at the

Royal Conservatoire Antwerp The Royal Conservatoire Antwerp () is a conservatory of music, dance and drama in Antwerp, Belgium. It was founded in 1898 as the Royal Flemish Conservatoire by the Flemish composer Peter Benoit. The legislation on university colleges in Flan ...

, of which he was the director from 1942 to 1944. In 1933, he founded the (Vlaams Nationaal Zangfeest) where he worked as a conductor for many years. He also conducted concerts associated with the

Flemish Movement The Flemish Movement (, ) is an umbrella term which encompasses various political groups in the Belgium, Belgian region of Flanders and, less commonly, in French Flanders. Ideologically, it encompasses groups which have sought to promote Flemis ...

. He died in

on 24 April 1959, aged 72. He composed

chamber music Chamber music is a form of classical music that is composed for a small group of Musical instrument, instruments—traditionally a group that could fit in a Great chamber, palace chamber or a large room. Most broadly, it includes any art music ...

, symphonic works,

art song An art song is a Western world, Western vocal music Musical composition, composition, usually written for one voice with piano accompaniment, and usually in the classical music, classical art music tradition. By extension, the term "art song" is ...

s, works for solo

piano A piano is a keyboard instrument that produces sound when its keys are depressed, activating an Action (music), action mechanism where hammers strike String (music), strings. Modern pianos have a row of 88 black and white keys, tuned to a c ...

carillon A carillon ( , ) is a pitched percussion instrument that is played with a musical keyboard, keyboard and consists of at least 23 bells. The bells are Bellfounding, cast in Bell metal, bronze, hung in fixed suspension, and Musical tuning, tu ...

organ Organ and organs may refer to: Biology * Organ (biology), a group of tissues organized to serve a common function * Organ system, a collection of organs that function together to carry out specific functions within the body. Musical instruments ...

, as well as

sacred music Religious music (also sacred music) is a type of music that is performed or composed for religious use or through religious influence. It may overlap with ritual music, which is music, sacred or not, performed or composed for or as a ritual. Reli ...

. He is particularly known for writing the Flemish patriotic song "Groeninge" to a text by

Guido Gezelle Guido Pieter Theodorus Josephus Gezelle (1 May 1830 – 27 November 1899) was an influential writer and poet and a Roman Catholic priest from Belgium. He is famous for the use of the West Flemish dialect, but he also wrote in other languages ...

Works (Selection)

Symphonies

* Symphony No. 1 in A major (1938) * Symphony No. 2 in A-flat major (1938) * Symphony No. 3 in E-flat major (1945) * Symphony No. 4 in B major (1950) * Symphony No. 5 in E major (1955) * Symphony No. 6 in B-flat major (1959)

Orchestral

* ''Perzeus'', Concert Overture (1908) * ''William the Silent'', Concert Overture (1912) * ''Meivuur'', suite from the opera (1916) * ''Remembrance Overture'' (1917) * Symphonic Suite No. 1 (1918) * ''Symphonic introduction to a festive occasion'' (1942) * Symphonic Suite No. 2 (1952)

Concertante

* Sketch for Cello and Orchestra (1920) * Divertimento For Trombone And Orchestra (1935)

Orchestral Songs

* ''A Mood of Spring'' for soprano and orchestra (1910) * ''The Garland Has Been Hung'' (1913) * ''Afternoon At Home'' (1946)

References

Biography
by Luc Leytens

External links

* 1886 births 1959 deaths 20th-century classical composers 20th-century conductors (music) 20th-century Belgian male musicians Belgian composers Belgian conductors (music) Composers for carillon Flemish composers Male classical composers Male conductors (music) Musicians from Antwerp Flemish activists Belgian collaborators with Imperial Germany Belgian prisoners and detainees Prisoners and detainees of Belgium {{Belgium-composer-stub