R.I.P. Wim van Beek (1930-2017), Dutch organist

[Marc]

Tonight's concert (of Ville Urponen) in the Martinikerk of Groningen, NL, started with a minute of silence In Memoriam Wim van Beek, the 'father' of the Schnitger et al organ there, who died Saturday at the age of 87.

After that minute, Urponen played a beautiful BWV 641 of Bach ("Wenn wir in höchsten Nöten sein").

Van Beek already stopped giving concerts about 5 years ago, but I had the privilige to attend some concerts of him, and they were always extraordinarily impressive.
His recordings are excellent, too.

http://www.helior.nl/cds/

He was one of the great personalities in the Dutch organ world, and he will be sorely missed.

Rest In Peace, mr. Van Beek.



Georg Böhm, Praeludium, Fuge und Postludium in G Major:

http://www.youtube.com/v/oiPAIULhZy8

Böhm's Choralvorspiel Vater unser im Himmelreich:

http://www.youtube.com/v/5vHwPP1OFzQ

Bach, Fantasia in G Major BWV 572 "Pièce d'Orgue":

http://www.youtube.com/v/Qmydw0m8bsI

Widor, Toccata from Symphony no. 5:

http://www.youtube.com/v/cllbzNRJ9jY

[Mandryka]

It is sad news to hear that a great musician has passed away.

I discovered Wim van Beek through his Böhm, which then and now seems perfect and deeply spiritual in Freu Dich seh o Meine seele. Shortly after that I found his Clavier Übung III, an exceptional performance, expressive and controled and rather gentle and inward in its intensity. It is, of course, a field where some of the greatest organists have given their best, but I don't know that any of them have done better, or even done as well. From time to time people have asked me to recommend a CU III, and Wim van Beek's is the one I choose for them now.

Of course he had the benefit of access to a magnificent organ in Groningen, other organists have spoken jealously to me of Beek's good fortune in having this instrument at his disposal.  I just wish there was more on record - more of the big sets of chorales from Bach, for example, or more French music and Italian music. Or more from Well Tempered Clavier even.

One of the things that I love about baroque organ music is the phenomenon of the scholar musician, far removed from the star system. Beek, like so many other organists in Holland,  incarned that ideal.

What to play in his honour? I let The Fates decide and used a random tool to make the selection. It came up with a Bach trio sonata at Uithuizen, a suitable dancing piece of music to celebrate a life no longer here.

Marc, did you know him?

[Marc]

[...]
Marc, did you know him?

No, not personally.
I only thanked him once after an organ demonstration... which turned out to be his last one.
He played a.o. Hendrik Andriessen's Sonata da chiesa and made some ironic remarks about his own arrogance during his studying time, where he had to play this piece for an exam (or something like that), thinking there was no better performer of the piece than he himself. After the exam he got 'bullied' by his teacher Adriaan Engels, who said Van Beek had shown no understanding for the piece at all. "Of course he was right, and I was wrong."

After the above mentioned demonstration, Van Beek kept on playing his beloved Martin organ until last year, during church services.

A true organist.