composer
Reinbert de Leeuw (17 Jan. 1938 – 14 February 2020) studied piano and music theory at the Amsterdam Conservatoire and composition with Kees van Baaren at the Royal Conservatory of ...
related works
Music for piano II / Reinbert de Leeuw
Genre:
Chamber music
Subgenre:
Piano
Scoring:
pf
Five sonatas / orchestrated by Ron Ford, 1991, Domenico Scarlatti
Genre:
Orchestra
Subgenre:
Orchestra
Scoring:
2222 2220 str
Intrada : symphonie orkest, 1978 / Henk Alkema
Genre:
Orchestra
Subgenre:
Orchestra
Scoring:
2222 2231 timp perc hp str
Sinfonie : in F dur, October 1900-12 Juni 1901 / von Jan van Gilse
Genre:
Orchestra
Subgenre:
Orchestra
Scoring:
2fl 2ob 2cl 2fg 4h 2trp 3trb timp str
composition
Abschied : symphonische Dichtung, für grosses Orchester, 1973 / Reinbert de Leeuw
Description:
Program note (English): [Première: 11-05-1974 - Rotterdams Philharmonisch Orkest, Edo de Waart, conducting] - Abschied is a piece on which I had worked for more than three years, but it was something that I always wanted to compose. It has been written for a huge symphony orchestra with a totally conventional instrumentation, apart from the piano and saxophones, which are scored. Furthermore there is no unusual treatment of instruments or new music techniques. It is, however, a piece that runs continuously from its seams; it is a permanent sort of fury. On viewing the score, that begins on page 1 and ends on page 82, every page is black of notes. It must be played in an extraordinarily high tempo; everything is very compact. That makes it difficult for performance: it is filled with virtuosity for all. The idea behind it is a literary one; for this reason I have given the piece a literary title, referring to the German romanticism, the period of Symphonische Dichtung. That is also the subtitle of the
piece. It is full of extremes, extremity in expression and exaggerated in aggressiveness. Thus a reason for choosing a symphony orchestra in the form as I opted for, completely 19th century, late-romantic without, however, late-romantic means, except in one neglected part. It is almost everywhere homo-rhythmical, with the complete orchestra simultaneously, or two groups positioned opposite of each other. On that note, it is somewhat Stravinsky-like; it refers here and there to the Sacre, as an archetype. - REINBERT DE LEEUW