Neels Mattheus (30 August 1935 – 23 January 2003) was a South African

Afrikaner Afrikaners () are a Southern African ethnic group descended from predominantly Dutch settlers who first arrived at the Cape of Good Hope in 1652.Entry: Cape Colony. ''Encyclopædia Britannica Volume 4 Part 2: Brain to Casting''. Encyclopæd ...

traditional musician. Article on Herald newspaper website: ''Boeremusiek star Mattheus dies''
/ref> Mattheus was one of South Africa's best known traditional musicians of the

Boeremusiek Boeremusiek (Afrikaans: ‘Boer music’ or 'Farmer's music') is a predominantly instrumental form of folk music that originated in South Africa. Initially intended to accompany informal social dancing, Boeremusiek developed through a fusion of Euro ...

genre. His career spanned several decades, and included radio and television appearances, prizes and awards. He was known for his virtuoso

concertina A concertina is a free-reed musical instrument, like the various accordions and the harmonica. It consists of expanding and contracting bellows, with buttons (or keys) usually on both ends, unlike accordion buttons, which are on the front. The ...

playing, and combined the traditional

genre Genre () is any style or form of communication in any mode (written, spoken, digital, artistic, etc.) with socially agreed-upon conventions developed over time. In popular usage, it normally describes a category of literature, music, or other fo ...

of Boeremusiek with later genres such as

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 ...

to produce a vibrant, modern sound while preserving the essence and beauty of Boeremusiek. A regular performer at festivals and dance halls throughout South Africa, Mattheus gained a reputation for affability and warmth. His hits, such as the ''Groot Leeu Mazurka'', ''Mooi Bly'' and ''Gamtoos Opskud'', were enjoyed by South Africans of all ages. Mattheus was survived by two sons, Deon and Kevin, both musicians in the Boeremusiek and rock genres in their own right, who have started a band named after their father, playing also with his granddaughters, Michelle and Jo-Anne.

References

External links

Website of Mattheus band
1935 births 2003 deaths South African musicians {{SouthAfrica-musician-stub