composer
Bram Kortekaas was born in Amsterdam, the Netherlands, in 1989. He studied composition with Willem Jeths and Wim Henderickx at the Conservatory of Amsterdam, and political science at the University ...
related works
Made in Holland 17 New Dutch Blues : for piano / Elizabeth Gaskill
Genre:
Chamber music
Subgenre:
Piano
Scoring:
pf
Genre:
Chamber music
Subgenre:
Mixed ensemble (2-12 players)
Scoring:
rec-a vib 4vl 2vla 2vc db
Transcendent II : for oboe and saxophone / Tilen Lebar
Genre:
Chamber music
Subgenre:
Mixed ensemble (2-12 players)
Genre:
Chamber music
Subgenre:
Mixed ensemble (2-12 players)
Scoring:
sax org perc
composition
Vanitas vanitatum : Three duos for violin and viola after David Bailly / Bram Kortekaas
Description:
Vanitas vanitatum is inspired by the painting Vanitas Still Life with Portrait of a Young Painter by David Bailly. This work is part of the collection of Museum De Lakenhal in Leiden, the Netherlands and forms the centrepiece of the exhibition David Bailly - Time, Death and Vanity (10 March to 2 July 2023).
The three movements of this composition are inspired by different elements of the painting. The first movement 'Lady in grisaille’ is a musical representation of the ghost-like depiction of a woman in the background of the painting. The music expresses the mystery surrounding this figure: Who is this she? And why is she almost invisible?
Another mystery is the starting point for the second movement. A young painter has been depicted by Bailly. Although it is not known for sure who this person is, I like to follow the interpretation that this is a younger version of Bailly. This younger Bailly is holding a portrait of the older Bailly. By depicting himself twice at different ages, Bailly is playing a game with the spectator, and perhaps with himself. The second movement, called ‘The painter and his self-portraits’, forms a playful pizzicato interplay between violin and viola.
The last movement ‘Vita brevis’ expresses the themes of transience and mortality that are so abundantly present in the painting. The music takes a sudden turn halfway through the movement: if life is short, it is better to enjoy it to the fullest and try to create beautiful things.
Bram Kortekaas