composer

Leeuw, Ton de

Ton de Leeuw was born on November 16, 1926 in Rotterdam. He died on May 31, 1996 in Paris (France). In 1949, after some years of composition lessons with Henk Badings, ...

related works

Neue Niederländische Klaviermusik : = Contemporary Dutch piano music, Heft 1 = Book 1 / mit Werken von = containing works by J. Andriessen, R. du Bois, G. Janssen ... [et al.], herausgegeben von = edited by Ton Hartsuiker

Genre: Chamber music
Subgenre: Piano
Scoring: pf

Strijkkwartet no. II : 1943 / Guillaume Landré

Genre: Chamber music
Subgenre: String Quartet (2 violins, viola, cello)
Scoring: 2vl vla vc

String Quartet Nº 1 : in E minor / Maarten ter Horst

Genre: Chamber music
Subgenre: String Quartet (2 violins, viola, cello)
Scoring: 2vn vla vc

Thema, variaties en finale : voor strijkkwartet / Andries de Braal

Genre: Chamber music
Subgenre: String Quartet (2 violins, viola, cello)
Scoring: 2vl vla vc

composition

String quartet II : (1964) / Ton de Leeuw

Description:
Program note (English): By reputation, the string quartet is among musical ensembles one of the hardest to manage. This is even more so since 1950, when a preference for heterogeneous sound colouring became predominant.
Yet the literature for string quartet asserts itself and - in our country - not in the least thanks to the activities of the Dutch ensemble, the Gaudeamus Quartet. The 'Second string quartet' was commissioned by the Ministry of Culture for this particular ensemble.
The composition consists of a large number of short parts which are connected to one another without a break. Most of these parts are also variations of one and the same basic scheme. As such, however, this scheme is so abstract and general (based as it is on a predetermined series of proportions), that the variations resulting from it show great diversities; more so than would be possible in the classical variation form for instance.
Besides, an important part is played in this quartet by contrasts in ways of performance and in treatment of tone colouring. The string instrument is an inexhaustible source of sound-production, even when one limits oneself to the string proper, as in this case. The same applies to the use of microtones.
Contrast, finally, of the atmosphere of action: from violently dynamic parts to the restrained last part with the motto: "and death shall have no dominion" (Dylan Thomas). - TON DE LEEUW