Hendrik Andriessen

Hendrik Andriessen (September 17, 1892, Haarlem - April 12, 1981, Haarlem) 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. Andriessen composed in a musical idiom that revealed strong French influences. He was the brother of pianist and composer Willem Andriessen and the father of the composers Jurriaan Andriessen and Louis Andriessen and of the flutist Heleen Andriessen.

Andriessen studied composition with Bernard Zweers and organ with Jean-Baptiste de Pauw at the Conservatory of Amsterdam. As the organist at Utrecht Cathedral, he became well-known for his improvisation abilities. From 1926 to 1954, he lectured in composition and music theory at the Amsterdam Conservatory while also teaching at the Institute for Catholic Church Music in Utrecht between 1930 and 1949. He was the director of the Utrecht Conservatory from 1937 to 1949.

During World War II, Andriessen refused to join the "Cultural House" and was thus barred from public functions by the Nazi occupiers. The only musical activities he was allowed was to give lessons and to accompany church services. He was taken hostage by the occupation from July 13th-December 18th, 1942, but released.

In 1949, he was apppointed director of the Royal Conservatory in The Hague, a post he held until 1957. Between 1954 and 1962, he was appointed an Extraordinary Professor of Musicology at the Catholic University of Nijmegen.

Andriessen's works included, besides eight masses, a setting of the Te Deum, four symphonies, variations for orchestra, lieder for voice and orchestra, chamber music, sonatas for cello and for piano, and works for solo organ.

Selected works

Orchestra

• 4 Symphonies (1930, 1937, 1946, 1954)
• Variations and Fugue on a Theme of Johann Kuhnau, for string orchestra (1935)
• Variations on a Theme by Couperin for solo flute, string orchestra, and harp (1944)
• Ricercare (1949) (also arranged for wind orchestra, 1977)
• Concerto for Organ and Orchestra (1950)
• Symphonic Etude (1952)
• Violin Concerto (1969)
• Cello Concertino (1970)
• Oboe Concertino (1970)
• Chromatic Variations (1970)

Wind orchestra

• Ricercare (1977) (rev. from 1949 orchestral work)

Chamber

• Suite for violin and piano (1950) I.Preludio II. Fuguetta III. Air Varié IV. Finale
• Quartetto in stile antico for String Quartet (1957)
• Sonatina in One Movement for Viola and Piano (1924)
• Sonata for Viola and Piano (1967)

Organ

• 4 Chorals (Premier: 1913), (Deuxième: 1916), (Troisième: 1920), (Quatrième: 1921)
• Fête-Dieu
• Intermezzi: 24 pieces in two books (1943 and 1946)
• Meditation on "O Lord with wondrous mystery" (1960)
• Passacaglia (1929)
• Praeludium en Fuga in d
• Sinfonia per Organo (1939)
• Sonata da Chiesa
• Sonata da Pacem (1918)
• Suite (1968)
• Thema met variaties
• Toccata

Opera

• Philomela (1950), in 3 acts
• Der Spiegel von Venedig (1964), chamber opera in 1 act

Choir

• Missa in honorem Sacratissimi Cordis, with organ (1919)
• Missa Simplex, acappella (1928)
• Missa diatonica (1935)
• Magnificat, with organ (1936)
• Missa Christus Rex (1938)
• Missa solemnis, with organ (1946)
• Te Deum, with orchestra (1968)

Lieder

• Magna res est amor, with organ (1919, orchestrated 1919)
• Fiat domine, with organ (1920, orchestrated 1930)
• Miroir de peine (set of five songs) (1923, orchestrated 1933)
• Trois pastorales (1935)

Books and other writings

• César Franck (1941)
• Over muziek (1950)
• Muziek en muzikaliteit (1952)