David Porcelijn, the conductor, has held chief conductor and artistic director positions with several symphony orchestras and has conducted many prominent orchestras worldwide.
Composer Biography
Hendrik Andriessen, the composer, was a versatile musical figure in the Netherlands for decades, working as a composer, performer, teacher, author, conservatory director, and professor of musicology.
Historical Context
During World War II, Andriessen refused to collaborate with the German occupation forces and was imprisoned for several months in Camp Sint Michielsgestel with other prominent compatriots.
Composer's Artistic Vision
Andriessen believed music stems from the human intellect and a composer's urge for order, stating that music is "the invisible but unavoidable mercy of the genius of order."
Recording & Production
David Porcelijn has recorded several major cycles for cpo dedicated to the complete orchestral works of Dutch composers, including Hendrik Andriessen, Jan van Gilse, Julius Röntgen, and Henk Badings.
Compositional Technique
Andriessen's Fourth Symphony, composed in 1954, uses a twelve-tone melody as a cyclical device, with all three movements built upon it, though it never appears in the same form.
Composer's Artistic Vision
Andriessen's colleague Sem Dresden described his music as calm and cheerful, tending towards contemplation and reverence, stemming from an atmosphere of devotion essential to his life.
