composer
Jan van Vlijmen writes chamber music, operas, songs and orchestral works. His compositions are strongly influenced by the serial music of Arnold Schoenberg. He is also attracted to the sumptuous ...
related works
Quintetto per archi : 1995-1996 / Jan van Vlijmen
Genre:
Chamber music
Subgenre:
Other combinations of string
Scoring:
2vl 2vla vc
Palimpsest : for clarinet, violoncello and fortepiano, 1997 / Richard Sims
Genre:
Chamber music
Subgenre:
Wind and string and key instrument(s)
Scoring:
cl vc pf
Genre:
Chamber music
Subgenre:
Mixed ensemble (2-11 players); Wind and string and key instrument(s)
Scoring:
fl-a cemb vladg
Divertimento : fluit, alt-viool, cello, piano, 1948 / Wim Franken
Genre:
Chamber music
Subgenre:
Wind and string and key instrument(s)
Scoring:
fl vla vc pf
composition
Nonet : 1985 / Jan van Vlijmen
Description:
Program note (English): Although this work, stylistically spoken, has not the least affinity with Schönberg's style of composition, there are nevertheless points of contact with certain compositional aspects of the work of this pioneer of the Second Viennese School.
First of all the ensemble's formation: in fact a kind of common denominator of the instrumentations of 'Pierrot Lunaire', the 'Serenade' (1923) and the 'Suite' (1925), which finds its actual continuation in the Schönberg Ensemble's basic formation, and calls to mind the characteristic tone-colour (now classic) of the 'Verein für musikalische Privataufführungen'.
In the second place my working method fits in with Schönberg's compositional technique in that sense that I do not hesitate either to base my working method upon the so-called serial technique. Just like in my other works from the last decade, the basis is a 12-tone series. I apply this technique, however, in a way contrary to the generally known Schönbergian principles. One could speak of a working method in which combinations of tone-groups consisting of 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6 and 7 tones (consequently borrowed from the original twelve-tone series) are grouped thus, that a series of 28 tones arises (the sum of the numbers 1 through 7). It is essential here that as a result of my method the non-equivalence of the tones is achieved, so contrary to what dodecaphony aims at the development of a system in which the equivalence of the chromatic scale's 12 tones is secured.
In other words, there is once again a form of mutual hierarchy between the tones, with more or less strong reference points as the audible result. This working method can in fact be regarded -and here lies the paradox - as a variation of conventional systems of composition: e.g., traditional harmony is a typical example of a hierarchically built technique of composition.
'Nonet' consists of seven movements. Movements I, III, V and VII can be regarded as principal parts, with movements II, IV and VI (three very fast scherzi for the full ensemble) linking them. Each of the four principal movements has its own character and colour, established by the instruments dominating in it: in movement I viola and cello, in movement III flute, bass clarinet and second violin, in movement V clarinet and double bass. In movement VII the violin dominates in such a way that the listener is reminded of a miniature violin concerto; moreover, this section is an accumulation of elements from the preceding movements. - JAN VAN VLIJMEN