Louis Andriessen
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Louis Joseph Andriessen (; 6 June 1939 – 1 July 2021) was a Dutch composer, pianist 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, emerged as 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 antiq ...
and
serialism In music, serialism is a method of composition using series of pitches, rhythms, dynamics, timbres or other musical elements. Serialism began primarily with Arnold Schoenberg's twelve-tone technique, though some of his contemporaries were also ...
, 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 the post-war era in western art. The movement is often interpreted as a reaction to abstract expressionism and modernism; it anticipated contemporary post-mi ...
,
big band A big band or jazz orchestra is a type of musical ensemble of jazz music that usually consists of ten or more musicians with four sections: saxophones, trumpets, trombones, and a rhythm section. Big bands originated during the early 1910s and ...
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. Its roots are in blues, ragtime, European harmony, African rhythmic rituals, spirituals, h ...
and the
expressionism Expressionism is a modernist movement, initially in poetry and painting, originating in Northern Europe around the beginning of the 20th century. Its typical trait is to present the world solely from a subjective perspective, distorting it rad ...
of
Igor Stravinsky Igor Fyodorovich Stravinsky ( – 6 April 1971) was a Russian composer and conductor with French citizenship (from 1934) and American citizenship (from 1945). He is widely considered one of the most important and influential 20th-century c ...
. Born in
Utrecht Utrecht ( ; ; ) is the List of cities in the Netherlands by province, fourth-largest city of the Netherlands, as well as the capital and the most populous city of the Provinces of the Netherlands, province of Utrecht (province), Utrecht. The ...
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. Andries ...
as well as composers Kees van Baaren and
Luciano Berio Luciano Berio (24 October 1925 – 27 May 2003) was an Italian composer noted for his experimental music, experimental work (in particular his 1968 composition ''Sinfonia (Berio), Sinfonia'' and his series of virtuosic solo pieces titled ''Seque ...
. Andriessen taught at the Royal Conservatory of The Hague 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 includin ...
'', based on Dante's ''
Divine Comedy The ''Divine Comedy'' (, ) is an Italian narrative poetry, narrative poem by Dante Alighieri, begun and completed around 1321, shortly before the author's death. It is widely considered the pre-eminent work in Italian literature and one of ...
'', won the 2011 Grawemeyer Award for Music Composition and was selected in 2019 by critics at ''
The Guardian ''The Guardian'' is a British daily newspaper. It was founded in Manchester in 1821 as ''The Manchester Guardian'' and changed its name in 1959, followed by a move to London. Along with its sister paper, ''The Guardian Weekly'', ''The Guardi ...
'' as one of the most outstanding compositions of the 21st century.


Life and career

Andriessen was born in
Utrecht Utrecht ( ; ; ) is the List of cities in the Netherlands by province, fourth-largest city of the Netherlands, as well as the capital and the most populous city of the Provinces of the Netherlands, province of Utrecht (province), Utrecht. The ...
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. Andries ...
and Johanna Justina Anschütz (1898–1975). His father was professor of composition at the Royal Conservatory of The Hague, and later its director. His siblings were composers Jurriaan Andriessen (1925-1966) 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 Luciano Berio (24 October 1925 – 27 May 2003) was an Italian composer noted for his experimental music, experimental work (in particular his 1968 composition ''Sinfonia (Berio), Sinfonia'' and his series of virtuosic solo pieces titled ''Seque ...
in Milan 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 ''De Volkskrant'' (; ), stylized as de Volkskrant, is a Dutch daily morning newspaper. Founded in 1919, it has a nationwide circulation of about 250,000. Formerly a leading centre-left Catholic broadsheet, ''de Volkskrant'' today is a medium- ...
'', and for '' De Gids'' magazine from 1966–69. Andriessen lived in
Amsterdam Amsterdam ( , ; ; ) is the capital of the Netherlands, capital and Municipalities of the Netherlands, largest city of the Kingdom of the Netherlands. It has a population of 933,680 in June 2024 within the city proper, 1,457,018 in the City Re ...
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 A republic, based on the Latin phrase ''res publica'' ('public affair' or 'people's affair'), is a State (polity), state in which Power (social and political), political power rests with the public (people), typically through their Representat ...
''. 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, 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, San Francisco, Hayes Valley ne ...
, the
Los Angeles Philharmonic The Los Angeles Philharmonic (LA Phil) is an American orchestra based in Los Angeles, California. The orchestra holds a regular concert season from October until June at the Walt Disney Concert Hall and a summer season at the Hollywood Bowl from ...
, the BBC Symphony Orchestra and the
New York Philharmonic The New York Philharmonic is an American symphony orchestra based in New York City. Known officially as the ''Philharmonic-Symphony Society of New York, Inc.'', and globally known as the ''New York Philharmonic Orchestra'' (NYPO) or the ''New Yo ...
. 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, New York City. It is at 881 Seventh Avenue (Manhattan), Seventh Avenue, occupying the east side of Seventh Avenue between 56th Street (Manhattan), 56th and 57th Street (Manhattan), 57t ...
during the 2009–10 season.


Ensembles

In 1969, Andriessen co-founded Studio voor Elektro-Instrumentale Muziek STEIM 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.
Yale University Yale University is a Private university, private Ivy League research university in New Haven, Connecticut, United States. Founded in 1701, Yale is the List of Colonial Colleges, third-oldest institution of higher education in the United Stat ...
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''; ) is a public research university in Leiden, Netherlands. Established in 1575 by William, Prince of Orange as a Protestant institution, it holds the distinction of being the oldest university in the Neth ...
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 Andriessen was suffering from
dementia Dementia is a syndrome associated with many neurodegenerative diseases, characterized by a general decline in cognitive abilities that affects a person's ability to perform activities of daily living, everyday activities. This typically invo ...
. He died on 1 July 2021 in
Weesp Weesp () is a List of cities in the Netherlands by province, city and an urban area in the Municipalities of the Netherlands, municipality of Amsterdam in the Provinces of the netherlands, province of North Holland, Netherlands. It had a populati ...
at age 82. Andriessen had one son, Lodewijk Torenbos-Andriessen, with dancer and theatre director Betsy Torenbos.


Style and notable works

Andriessen began in the style of an intentionally dry
neoclassicism Neoclassicism, also spelled Neo-classicism, emerged as 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 antiq ...
, but then turned into a strict serialist. His early works show experimentation with various contemporary trends: post-war serialism (''Series'', 1958),
pastiche A pastiche () is a work of visual art, literature, theatre, music, or architecture that imitates the style or character of the work of one or more other artists. Unlike parody, pastiche pays homage to the work it imitates, rather than mocking ...
(''Anachronie I'', 1966–67), and tape (''Il Duce'', 1973). His reaction to what he perceived as the conservatism 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 a unique feature of something. The term is often used to express peculiarity. Etymology The term "idiosyncrasy" originates from Greek ', "a peculiar temperament, habit of body" (from ', "one's own", ', "with" and ', "blend ...
instrumental combinations, which often retain some traditional orchestral instruments alongside electric guitars, electric basses, 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, including the music of
Charles Ives Charles Edward Ives (; October 20, 1874May 19, 1954) was an American modernist composer, actuary and businessman. Ives was among the earliest renowned American composers to achieve recognition on a global scale. His music was largely ignored d ...
in ''Anachronie I'', the art of
Piet Mondrian Pieter Cornelis Mondriaan (; 7 March 1872 – 1 February 1944), known after 1911 as Piet Mondrian (, , ), was a Dutch Painting, painter and Theory of art, art theoretician who is regarded as one of the greatest artists of the 20th century. He w ...
in ''De Stijl'', the visions of
Beguine The Beguines () and the Beghards () were Christianity, Christian laity, lay religious orders that were active in Western Europe, particularly in the Low Countries, in the 13th–16th centuries. Their members lived in monasticism, semi-monastic ...
mystic Hadewijch in ''Hadewijch'', and 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 the post-war era in western art. The movement is often interpreted as a reaction to abstract expressionism and modernism; it anticipated contemporary post-mi ...
, and the music of
Igor Stravinsky Igor Fyodorovich Stravinsky ( – 6 April 1971) was a Russian composer and conductor with French citizenship (from 1934) and American citizenship (from 1945). He is widely considered one of the most important and influential 20th-century c ...
and Claude Vivier, containing minimalist-influenced
polyrhythms Polyrhythm () is the simultaneous use of two or more rhythms that are not readily perceived as deriving from one another, or as simple manifestations of the same meter. The rhythmic layers may be the basis of an entire piece of music (cross-r ...
, lyrical melodic fragments, and predominantly consonant harmonies disrupted by 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 (From the Italian word , ) 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 ...
Peter Greenaway Peter Greenaway, (born 5 April 1942) is a British film director, screenwriter and artist. His films are noted for the distinct influence of Renaissance and Baroque painting, and Mannerist painting in particular. Common traits in his films a ...
on the film ''M is for Man, Music, Mozart'' and the operas '' Rosa: A Horse Drama'' (1994) and '' Writing to Vermeer'' (1998); and ''La Passione'' (2000–02) for female voice, violin and ensemble. His 2008 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 includin ...
'', based on Dante's ''
Divine Comedy The ''Divine Comedy'' (, ) is an Italian narrative poetry, narrative poem by Dante Alighieri, begun and completed around 1321, shortly before the author's death. It is widely considered the pre-eminent work in Italian literature and one of ...
'', won the 2011 Grawemeyer Award for Music Composition and was selected by critics at ''
The Guardian ''The Guardian'' is a British daily newspaper. It was founded in Manchester in 1821 as ''The Manchester Guardian'' and changed its name in 1959, followed by a move to London. Along with its sister paper, ''The Guardian Weekly'', ''The Guardi ...
'' as one of the most outstanding classical compositions of the 21st century in 2019.


Awards and honours

* 1959 Gaudeamus International Composers Award * 1977 Matthijs Vermeulen Award for ''De Staat'' * 1977 UNESCO
International Rostrum of Composers The International Rostrum of Composers (IRC) is an annual forum organized by the International Music Council that offers broadcasting representatives the opportunity to exchange and publicize pieces of contemporary classical music. It is funded by c ...
in Paris * 1992 Matthijs Vermeulen Award 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 Birmingham City University (abbrev. BCU) is a university in Birmingham, England. Initially established as the Birmingham College of Art with roots dating back to 1843, it was designated as a polytechnic (United Kingdom), polytechnic in 1971 an ...
* 2011 Grawemeyer Award for Music Composition 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 includin ...
'' (2004–2008). * 2016 Marie-Josée Kravis Prize for New Music * 2019 Honorary doctorate from the
University of Amsterdam The University of Amsterdam (abbreviated as UvA, ) is a public university, public research university located in Amsterdam, Netherlands. Established in 1632 by municipal authorities, it is the fourth-oldest academic institution in the Netherlan ...


Works

Andriessen's primary publishers are
Boosey & Hawkes Boosey & Hawkes is a British Music publisher (sheet music), music publisher, purported to be the largest specialist classical music publisher in the world. Until 2003, it was also a major manufacturer of brass instrument, brass, string instru ...
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 four hands * ''Quartet in two movements'' (1957) for string quartet * ''Séries'' (1958) for 2 pianos * ''Nocturnen'' (1959) (text by the composer) for 2
soprano A soprano () is a type of classical singing voice and has the highest vocal range of all voice types. The soprano's vocal range (using scientific pitch notation) is from approximately middle C (C4) = 261 Hertz, Hz to A5 in Choir, choral ...
s, 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 stringed musical instrument that is usually fretted (with Fretless guitar, some exceptions) and typically has six or Twelve-string guitar, twelve strings. It is usually held flat against the player's body and played by strumming ...
(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 (whi ...
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 pump organ, harmonium, pipe organ and theatre organ. Originally designed to imitate their sound, or orchestral sounds, it has si ...
s * ''Worum es ging und worum es geht'' (1967) (with Misha Mengelberg) 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 France, French mechanical musical instrument consisting of bellows and one or more ranks of organ pipe, pipes housed in a case, usually of wood, and often highly decorated. The basic ...
* ''Anachronie II'' (1969) for oboe, small orchestra (4 horns,
harp The harp is a stringed musical instrument that has individual strings running at an angle to its soundboard; the strings are plucked with the fingers. Harps can be made and played in various ways, standing or sitting, and in orchestras or ...
, 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. He is one of the most revered figures in the history of Western music; his works rank among the most performed of the classical music repertoire ...
)Festival Dag in de Branding (edition 12)
Dagindebranding.nl.
* ' (1969) (with Reinbert de Leeuw, Misha Mengelberg, Peter Schat, Jan van Vlijmen; libretto by Hugo Claus, 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 bass clarinet">bass_clarinet.html" ;"title=" bass clarinet"> bass clarinet viola, bass guitar, electronic organ [+ piano], 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 "The Internationale" is an international anthem that has been adopted as the anthem of various anarchist, communist, socialist, democratic socialist, and social democratic movements. It has been a standard of the socialist movement since ...
) * ''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 Riley (born June 24, 1935) is an American composer and performing musician best known as a pioneer of the minimalist music, minimalist school of composition. Influenced by jazz and Indian classical music, his work became notab ...
'' (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 The Book of Job (), or simply Job, is a book found in the Ketuvim ("Writings") section of the Hebrew Bible and the first of the Poetic Books in the Old Testament of the Christian Bible. The language of the Book of Job, combining post-Babylonia ...
) 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) was a Florentine diplomat, author, philosopher, and historian who lived during the Italian Renaissance. He is best known for his political treatise '' The Prince'' (), writte ...
) 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 bands (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 ( ), is a type of classical music, classical female singing human voice, voice whose vocal range lies between the soprano and the contralto voice types. The mezzo-soprano's vocal range usually extends from the A bel ...
s, 4 oboes (3rd, 4th +
English horn The cor anglais (, or original ; plural: ''cors anglais''), or English horn (mainly North America), is a double-reed woodwind instrument in the oboe family. It is approximately one and a half times the length of an oboe, making it essentially ...
), 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 The Hammond organ is an electric organ invented by Laurens Hammond and John M. Hanert, first manufactured in 1935. Multiple models have been produced, most of which use sliding #Drawbars, drawbars to vary sounds. Until 1975, sound was created ...
,
string quartet The term string quartet refers to either a type of musical composition or a group of four people who play them. Many composers from the mid-18th century onwards wrote string quartets. The associated musical ensemble consists of two Violin, violini ...
, 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'' (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. Sometimes anglicized to Michael Bakunin. ( ; – 1 July 1876) was a Russian revolutionary anarchist. He is among the most influential figures of anarchism and a major figure in the revolutionary socialist, s ...
, Arthur Arnould) for 2 high
baritone A baritone is a type of classical music, classical male singing human voice, voice whose vocal range lies between the bass (voice type), bass and the tenor voice type, voice-types. It is the most common male voice. The term originates from the ...
s, orchestra (12 brass, 2 harps, cimbalom, 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 Eric Alfred Leslie Satie (born 17 May 18661 July 1925), better known as Erik Satie, was a French composer and pianist. The son of a French father and a British mother, he studied at the Conservatoire de Paris, Paris Conservatoire but was an undi ...
'', 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 A harpsichord is a musical instrument played by means of a musical keyboard, keyboard. Depressing a key raises its back end within the instrument, which in turn raises a mechanism with a small plectrum made from quill or plastic that plucks one ...
* ''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) was a Spanish poet, playwright, and theatre director. García Lorca achieved international recognition as an emblematic member of the Generation of '27, a g ...
) 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 ...
,
glockenspiel The glockenspiel ( ; or , : bells and : play) 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 v ...
* '' De Materie'' (1984–88) (texts from the Plakkaat van Verlatinge,
Nicolaes Witsen Nicolaes Witsen (; 8 May 1641 – 10 August 1717) 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). In 1689, he was extraordinary-ambas ...
, David Gorlaeus, Hadewijch, M.H.J. Schoenmaekers, Madame van Domselaer-Middelkoop, Willem Kloos,
Marie Curie Maria Salomea Skłodowska-Curie (; ; 7 November 1867 – 4 July 1934), known simply as Marie Curie ( ; ), was a Polish and naturalised-French physicist and chemist who conducted pioneering research on radioactivity. She was List of female ...
,
Françoise Giroud Françoise Giroud (born Lea France Gourdji; 21 September 1916 – 19 January 2003), was a French journalist, screenwriter, writer, and politician. Biography Giroud was born in Lausanne, Switzerland to immigrant Sephardi Turkish Jewish parents; ...
). 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 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 ...
* ''Nietzsche redet'' (1989) (text by
Friedrich Nietzsche Friedrich Wilhelm Nietzsche (15 October 1844 – 25 August 1900) was a German philosopher. He began his career as a classical philology, classical philologist, turning to philosophy early in his academic career. In 1869, aged 24, Nietzsche bec ...
) 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, 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 British film director, screenwriter and artist. His films are noted for the distinct influence of Renaissance and Baroque painting, and Mannerist painting in particular. Common traits in his films a ...
) 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 mari ...
(+ 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 René Karl Wilhelm Johann Josef Maria Rilke (4 December 1875 – 29 December 1926), known as Rainer Maria Rilke, was an Austrian poet and novelist. Acclaimed as an Idiosyncrasy, idiosyncratic and expressive poet, he is widely recognized as ...
) 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 note, musical notes by using a set of pins placed on a revolving cylinder (geometry), cylinder or disc to pluck ...
* ''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 The vibraphone (also called the vibraharp) is a percussion instrument in the metallophone family. It consists of tuned metal bars and is typically played by using Percussion mallet, mallets to strike the bars. A person who plays the vibraphone ...
and marimba * ''Base'' (1994) for piano left hand * ''Odysseus' Women'' (1995) (text by
Homer Homer (; , ; possibly born ) was an Ancient Greece, Ancient 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. Despite doubts about his autho ...
, 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 Laozi (), also romanized as Lao Tzu #Name, among other ways, was a semi-legendary Chinese philosophy, Chinese philosopher and author of the ''Tao Te Ching'' (''Laozi''), one of the foundational texts of Taoism alongside the ''Zhuangzi (book) ...
, 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 instrument, percussion family. A type of drum categorised as a hemispherical drum, they consist of a Membranophone, membrane called a drumhead, ...
* ''Not an Anfang'' (1997) for piano * ''De eerste minnaar'' (1998) (text by Toon Tellegen) 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'' (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) 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 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 (; most likely baptized Durante di Alighiero degli Alighieri; – September 14, 1321), widely known mononymously as Dante, was an Italian Italian poetry, poet, writer, and philosopher. His ''Divine Comedy'', originally called ...
) 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 (German: Help:IPA/Standard German, joːhan zeˈbasti̯an baχ ( – 28 July 1750) was a German composer and musician of the late Baroque music, Baroque period. He is known for his prolific output across a variety ...
'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 Igor Fyodorovich Stravinsky ( – 6 April 1971) was a Russian composer and conductor with French citizenship (from 1934) and American citizenship (from 1945). He is widely considered one of the most important and influential 20th-century c ...
, 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 includin ...
'' (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 The BBC Proms is an eight-week summer season of daily orchestral classical music concerts and other events held annually, predominantly in the Royal Albert Hall in central London. Robert Newman founded The Proms in 1895. Since 1927, the ...
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 Warner Bros. Records), and based in New York City. Founded by Jac Holzman in 1964 as a budget classical label, Nonesuch ...
* Robert Davidson
Louis Andriessen interview
topologymusic.com 2001
Composer's entry on IRCAM's database
{{DEFAULTSORT:Andriessen, Louis 1939 births 2021 deaths 20th-century Dutch classical composers 20th-century Dutch male musicians 21st-century Dutch classical composers 21st-century Dutch male musicians Composers for carillon Contemporary classical music performers Dutch classical pianists Dutch male classical composers Gaudeamus Composition Competition prize-winners International Rostrum of Composers prize-winners Dutch male classical pianists Minimalist composers Nonesuch Records artists Musicians from Utrecht (city) Postmodern composers Pupils of Luciano Berio Royal Conservatory of The Hague alumni Academic staff of the Royal Conservatory of The Hague Twelve-tone and serial composers