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Dutch Music and Musicians - a beginning

[a recorder (flute)]
blokfluit click to hear
[mouth harp]
mondharmonica click to hear
[guitar]
gitaar click to hear
[violin with bow]
viool met strijkstok click to hear 2
[piano]
piano click to hear

I started this page because Marilyn Cooley of Classical WETA in Arlington, VA asked for the pronunciation of a few Dutch names; after that Bert Melman provided most of the classical-music names. Without Marilyn and Bert, this page wouldn't exist.
Thank you Geert Karman for two corrections
Feel free to send me your suggestions.

Dutch Music Vocabulary

* - originally German names
** - originally French names

Classical Musicians

Frans Brüggen* recorder, conductor
Emmy Verhey violin >>
Janine** Jansen violin >>
click to
  hear
Herman Krebbers violin
Anner Bijlsma cello
click to hear 2
André** Rieu** violin, conductor, director >>
click to hear
Gustav* Leonhardt* keyboards
click to hear 2
Isabelle van Keulen violin/viola >>
click to hear
Francien Schatborn viola
click to hear 2
Ronald Hoogeveen violin
click to hear
Christiaan Bor violin >>
click to hear 2
Pieter Wispelwey cello >>
click to hear
Hans Oudenaarden piano
click to hear 2
Léon Berben harpsichord, organ >>
click to hear
Jaap Schröder* violin
click to hear
Liza Ferschtman violin >>
click to hear 2 (a Russian name)
Kristian Bezuidenhout piano >>
click to hear 2
Tjamke Roelofs violin
click to hear
Simone Lamsma violin >>
click to hear
Jussen click to hear 2 Lukas click to hear Arthur click to hear 2 piano Lucie Horsch click to hear 2 3  recorder Daniël Wayenberg click to hear 2 3  piano

Singers

Christina Deutekom
Marco Bakker
click to hear 2
Cora Burggraaf >>
click to hear 2
Christianne Stotijn >>
click to hear 2
Elly Ameling
click to hear
Thomas Oliemans
click to hear
Lenneke Ruiten >>
click to hear 2

Composers Contemporary

Peter Schat
Louis** Andriessen
Lex van Delden
click to hear
Matthijs Vermeulen
Tristan Keuris
click to hear 2
Alphons Diepenbrock
Jan Wagenaar
click to hear
Willem Pijper
Leo Smit
click to hear

Conductors

Jaap van Zweden
Edo de Waard
click to hear 2
Bernard Haitink
click to hear 2
Eduard van Beinum
click to hear
Willem Mengelberg
click to hear
Philippe** Herreweghe
click to hear 2 3
Sigiswald* Kuijken
click to hear 2 3
Willem van Otterloo
Rogier van Otterloo
click to hear

Messrs Herreweghe and Kuijken are Belgian.
'Sigiswald' is a German name, but I took the liberty to pronounce it in the Dutch way; the full German pronunciation ( click to hear 2 ) would be too harsh for the Dutch ear.
Mr Bezuidenhout is originally from South Africa and now lives in London
'Leonhardt' may as well be a Dutch name in old spelling

Miscellaneous

Concertgebouw (Concerts Building - Amsterdam)
Concertgebouworkest (Concerts Building Orchestra)
Residentieorkest (The Queen's Residence Orchestra - The Hague)
click to hear

Composers 1400-1600

See also the 'Vermeer' chapter below.
Joske van der Weiden [Dutch name]
(Josquin des Prés) [French version]
click to hear 2
Peerke Verstraeten [Dutch name]
(Pierre de la Rue) [French version]
click to hear 2 3
Johannes Ockeghem
Jacob Obrecht
click to hear
Adriaan Willaert
Orlandus Lassus [Latinized name]
(Orlando di Lasso) [Italian? name]
click to hear

Music from The Time of Vermeer

This chapter was made for Jonathan Janson's The Essential Vermeer website.

Piet Hein
There is a well-known song about admiral (and pirate) Piet Hein (also spelled Heyn) and his 1628 capture of the Spanish silver fleet; the song may well be recent, but it could also be something that Vermeer and the people in his paintings were familiar with.
The stockholders of the West India Company made something like 50 to 75% on their investment in the year of the Silver Fleet (sources differ on the amount.)

Piet Hein, Piet Hein,
Piet Hein zijn naam is klein,
... his name is short
Zijn daden benne groot,
His actions ('deeds') are big ('benne' is a slang term of 'to be' - note the similarity)
Zijn daden benne groot,
Hij heeft gewonnen de Zilvervloot.
He has captured ('won') the Silver Fleet
Hij heeft gewonnen, gewonnen de Zilvervloot,
Hij heeft gewonnen de Zilvervloot.
click to hear

Hear a few very nice pieces of keyboard music from Vermeer's time, played on the Virginals by Mr Joop Klaassen of the Netherlands at The Essential Vermeer

Almande de Symmerman
Courante Daphne
Malle Symen
Jan Sweelink
Susanne van Soldt
click to hear 2

Muselaer
Spinet
virginaal
klavecimbel (harpsichord)
Ruckers
Louis van Emmerik
Het Vleeshuis ("The Meat Hall" lit.: house)
click to hear
Composers
Jan Pieterszoon Sweelinck
Jacob van Eyck
Dirck Janszoon Scholl
Servaas Koninck
click to hear

instruments
luit (lute)
cister (cittern)
citer (cither)
gitaar (guitar)
viool (violin)
click to hear


klavecimbel (harpsichord)
blokfluit (recorder)
trompet (trumpet)
click to hear
Der Fluyten Lusthof (collection of compositions for solo recorder by Jacob van Eyck)
De Nederlantsche Gedenckclanck (songbook)
De Muiderkring (private musical and literary party)
De Amsterdamse Schouwburg (theatre)
click to hear
Constantijn Huygens (private secretary to the Stadholders, poet, musician, composer and art connoisseur)
Pieter Corneliszoon Hooft (poet)
Gerbrand Adriaanszoon Bredero (playwright and poet)
Maria Tesselschade (poetess and musician)
click to hear

The Dutch Anthem (Het Wilhelmus)

[The Red, White and Blue Flag of The Netherlands]
Wilhelmus van Nassouwe
Ben ik van Duitsen bloed
Den Vaderland getrouwe
Blijf ik tot in den doet
Een prinse van Oranje
Ben ik, vrij, onverveerd
Den konink van Hispanje
Heb ik altijd geëerd
click to hear (ca 250K) - please rise

I am William of Nassau
A man of our people
Loyal to the Fatherland
I'll remain to my dying day
I am a prince of Orange
Free and without fear
The king of Spain
I have always respected

It's in 16th-century Dutch with German-like declinations.
There are various interpretations of 'van Duitsen bloed.' In modern Dutch, it would read as 'of German blood,' and one opinion is that it points to William's German descent. I think the 'Duits' means 'us, our tribe, we the people,' so: 'I am a man of our people.' The Dutch word 'Duits' is from the old Germanic word 'theudo,' ('diutisc' in old High German), which the Germanic tribes used to refer to themselves, like we would say 'of our nation, our people.' This word is the root of English 'Dutch,' and these three words that mean 'German:' Dutch 'Duits,' German 'Deutsch,' and Italian 'Tedeschi.'
The opposite, 'not of our people, strangers' is found in Great Britain as Welsh and Wales, and in the word for the French-speaking Belgians, Walloons in Wallonia.

Some of The Contemporary Music Scene


Tijs (Thijs) Verwest (Tiësto)
Ferry Corsten
Armin van Buuren
click to hear

Paul van Dyk
Benno de Goeij
Sander Kleinenberg
Ilse de Lange
click to hear 2
(alternate)
Paul van Dyk
Benno de Goeij
Piet Bervoets
Sander Kleinenberg
click to hear 2

Rockers of Old

Peter Koelewijn
Joost den Draaier (dj)
(= Willem van Kooten)
click to hear
Cuby + Blizzards
Harry Muskee
Eelco Gelling
Herman Brood
click to hear
The Golden Earring
George Kooymans
Cesar Zuiderwijk
Rinus Gerritsen
Frank Krassenburg
click to hear
Focus
Thijs van Leer
Jan Akkerman
Pierre van der Linden
click to hear
Q65
Frank Nuyens
Wim Bieler
Dick Schulte Nordholt
click to hear
Earth & Fire
Gerard Koerts
Chris Koerts
Jerney Kaagman
click to hear
Robert Jan Stips (Supersister)
Kaz Lux (Brainbox)
Rick van der Linden (Ekseption)
click to hear
Robbie van Leeuwen (The Motions, Shocking Blue)
Peter Tetteroo (The Tee Set)
Wally Tax (The Outsiders)
Ronald Splinter (The Outsiders)
click to hear

An Enigmatic Children's Song

There is something very strange to this song: children sailing to England, but England is closed and the key is broken?

Witte zwanen, zwarte zwanen
White swans, black swans
Wie gaat er mee naar England varen?
Who's going to sail with me to England?
Engeland is gesloten
England is closed
De sleutel is gebroken
The key is broken
En er is geen smid in 't land
And there is no blacksmith [to be found] in the land
Die die sleutel maken kan
Who can repair that key
Naar voren, naar voren
come forward, come forward
Wie achter is moet voren
Those at the back should come to the front
click to hear

email - Copyright © Marco Schuffelen 2008. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Don't be a dief (thief) / dievegge (female thief) - diefstal (theft) - stelen (to steal) - heler (dealer in stolen goods) - hear Dutch - 2