Musical greetings from Delft, The Netherlands

[J.Z. Herrenberg]

Hello, all!

I decided to join this forum after I found Karlowicz' wonderful Violin Concerto here. I'd never heard it before, although I'm very familiar with his symphonic poems (for insiders - I like the Noseda performances less than the old cycle from the 'eighties (I'd love to hear that again). I just wanted to express my gratitude - what a lovely work! Somewhere a fanfare-like theme crops up, that seems to have obsessed him...

I'm Dutch, and male (my nickname is the result of my initials, JZH). It's difficult to tell you my preferences, because my tastes range widely. Suffice it to say, symphonic music takes pride of place, and then opera (mainly Wagner). My most-loved symphonists? Mahler, Brian, Bruckner, Brahms, Sibelius, Langgaard, Nielsen, Schumann, Vaughan-Williams, Bax, Elgar et cetera et cetera. But I also like piano music and chamber music and Lieder.

Ah well, I'd better stop...

Good to be here!

Jez

[Florestan]

Welcome, Jez! I hope you'll enjoy your time here!

[Harry]

Welkom Jez, er is een kleine groep Nederlanders op dit forum, en daarom is het van groot belang dat er wat meer bij komen.
Hartelijk welkom dus.

Groningen calling!

Leiden is in Trouble.

[Que]

Greetings from Leiden and .... hartelijk welkom! 

Q

[BachQ]

My most-loved symphonists? Mahler, Brian, Bruckner, Brahms, Sibelius, Langgaard, Nielsen, Schumann, Vaughan-Williams, Bax, Elgar et cetera et cetera.

super!

[J.Z. Herrenberg]

Thanks for the welcome! I have a lot of threads to inspect...

By the way - what is the language of this board? Are you allowed to post in Dutch too?! Or is this only a one-off, because I introduced myself as a Dutchman?

(Nog even voor de Nederlanders - ik noemde Havergal Brian niet zomaar; mijn liefde voor zijn werk gaat terug tot de jaren zeventig, en ik ben zelfs lid van de Havergal Brian Society, al sinds 1984. Eerst als enige Nederlander, toen kwamen er enkele bij (sommige 'nieuwelingen' waren 'bekeerde' vrienden...), en nu weer de enige.)

That's all for now.

Jez

P.S. As I say in the Dutch passage, I've been a member of the Havergal Brian Society since 1984. I fell in love with Brian's music in the 'seventies, when it was extremely difficult to get hold of. Since joining the HBS, I've been able to hear all of the 32 symphonies. They're in my blood, though not in the repertoire, more's the pity...

[karlhenning]

Welcome, Jez!

And, if you don't mind that only Harry understands you, posting in Dutch is dandy 

[J.Z. Herrenberg]

And, if you don't mind that only Harry understands you, posting in Dutch is dandy

Ouch... I think I'll opt for the larger audience then (no disrespect, Harry and those other lucky few!)

[Greta]

Welcome welcome!  You named a lot of composers up there I really love.

I spent a semester in your beautiful country and still can read Dutch, though can't speak it well anymore!

Mijn Nederlands is slecht, maar ik ken zeggen, "Welkom op de forum!"

Groetjes,
Greta   

[karlhenning]

Ouch... I think I'll opt for the larger audience then (no disrespect, Harry!)

Didn't mean for that to sting, mijn vriend!

Nor is our esteemed Harry the only Dutchman on board.  But for practical purposes, we all communicate in English here.

[J.Z. Herrenberg]

After I reacted, karlhenning, I realised there were a few more Dutchmen and -women (I hope), of course. In that spirit I modified the message to which you responded...

Okay - English it'll be!

(Hello, Greta!)

[bhodges]

Hi Jez, and welcome.  Great list of composers there, and nice to see someone like Langgaard mentioned.  (I don't know much of his work but have liked the few pieces I've heard, and a DVD of his opera Antikrist is on my "to listen to" pile.)

Anyway, enjoy yourself here!

--Bruce

[71 dB]

Welcome Jez!

Nice to see you list Elgar and Nielsen among your favorite symphonists. 

[J.Z. Herrenberg]

Thanks for the warm welcome, 71 dB and bhodges!

bhodges: the opera Antikrist is one of Langgaard's most 'modern' works (and not one of his most attractive, IMHO - sorry!). I put that inside quotation marks, because Langgaard is a very quirky composer: his career shows an enormous range of styles, which you could almost call 'post-modern'. He sounds 'progressive' when he feels like it, not because of any ideological preferences. So you can have symphonies that don't look further than Schumann or Niels Gaade, and an extraordinary work like 'Music of the Spheres' (great Chandos recording!) that made Ligeti smile in appreciation...

[Que]

Nor is our esteemed Harry the only Dutchman on board. 

And don't forget our Flemish friends here!
(Flemish are Dutch speaking Belgians (60%) - for those who are not familiar with these complicated European peculiarities)

By the way - what is the language of this board? Are you allowed to post in Dutch too?! Or is this only a one-off, because I introduced myself as a Dutchman?

It has become customary (something Harry introduced...) that whenever a new Dutch or Flemish member joins, to say a few words in Dutch. But indeed - that's about it. But of course we can converse in Dutch via PM! 

Q

[uffeviking]

Jez, any classical music lover who is also knowledgeable about Laanggard is very welcome. Long time ago we had an entire thread dealing with this outstanding composer. Maybe it's time to revive it and you can help us to understand better that Antikrist opera I am still struggling with, even after repeating viewings!

An occasional Dutch remark I can handle too, no problem, German and Dutch is so close, and I am a native of Germany. 

[lukeottevanger]

Welcome, Jez!

I have a Dutch father and a Dutch surname, but that's as far as I can go linguistically, I am afraid. You will find other Brianites round here, including quite a few lapsed HBS members (including me). But I doubt anyone else has had the fortune to hear all 32 symphonies - I'm only up to 20 or 21 myself  . But I'm convinced of his importance, or rather, of the stature he should be recognised as having. Fell free to start up a discussion on him - we had a brief one a few weeks back, but there can't be enough!

[J.Z. Herrenberg]

And thanks for the welcome to you, too, Que, uffeviking and lukeottevanger!

@ uffeviking: I borrowed the CDs of the Antikrist opera years ago form a big music library in Rotterdam. So I only heard the music once, and I didn't see the thing acted, which perhaps would have made the impression more favourable. I don't know what I would make of it now. I did read read B. Viinholt Nielsen's Langgaard biography (in Danish - not so far away from either Dutch or German...) and that helped me to understand the place the opera occupies in L's output and also, of course, the very curious character of the man himself...

@lukeottevanger: When were you a member of the HBS? I'll have a look at the Brian thread. Perhaps I can add something to it.

[lukeottevanger]

@lukeottevanger: When were you a member of the HBS? I'll have a look at the Brian thread. Perhaps I can add something to it.

You certainly can - it didn't get very far! I've been re-reading all three of Macdonald's books on the symphonies these last few weeks, and am all topped-up with fervour once again!

I was a member from some time in the early 90s (91? 92?) till about 98, I think. I also attended the premiere of The Cenci, although that was after letting my membership lapse (I felt like a naughty schoolboy turning up for the concert!). I have all the newsletters mouldering away somewhere, and I keep meaning to rejoin, but the best laid plans and all that...

[J.Z. Herrenberg]

I also attended the premiere of The Cenci

So did I. It was in December 1997, I flew in specially... MacDonald's books were what triggered my Brian enthusiasm, btw. I borrowed the first two in a music library in Amsterdam, in 1997, and was hooked. I simply knew at once that this was music I would like. And so I did, after the same library suddenly possessed the recording of symphonies 8 & 9...