Johan Wagenaar

Johan Wagenaar ( born 1 November 1862 in Utrecht, † 17 June 1941 in The Hague) was a Dutch composer and organist.

Life

Johan Wagenaar was born as the son of nobles Cypriaan Gerard Berger van stallion. The mother came from a humble background, and the social circumstances this time were not married to. So Wagenaar grew up in rather poor circumstances and was the maternal surname.

Although early showed musical talent, Wagenaar received only from the age of 13 lessons in piano, violin, theory and composition. His first organ teacher was the composer Richard Hol and the organist Samuel de Lange. In 1892, he took lessons in counterpoint with Henry of Herzogenberg in Berlin.

Wagenaar was the violinist in the Utrecht city orchestra. Since 1887, he had a job as a theory teacher at the music school in Utrecht, 1888, he was - among other things for his interpretation of Bach and valued as an improviser - organist at the Cathedral of Utrecht. In 1896 he was appointed head of the Utrecht School of Music. In 1916 he received an honorary doctorate from the University of Utrecht. From 1919 to 1937 Wagenaar was director of the Royal Conservatory in The Hague. He was also active as a choral conductor in Utrecht, Arnhem, Leiden and The Hague, and led the Dutch premieres of numerous domestic and foreign compositions.

To Wagenaars pupils were Pijper and his son Bernard Wagenaar.

Work

As one of the leading Dutch composers of his time Wagenaar created operas, cantatas, organ music and orchestral works, in particular, several overtures. In his colored orchestrated compositions that often have in the musical dramas humorous traits can be stylistic influences of Hector Berlioz, and exceeds even those of Richard Strauss.

Selections

  • De schipbreuk, Cantata (1889 )
  • De doge van Venetië, opera based on Shakespeare ( 1899)
  • Driekoningenavond, Overture after Shakespeare
  • King Lear Overture, Op 9, after Shakespeare
  • Cyrano de Bergerac Overture op.23 (1905 )
  • Saul en David, symphonic poem, Op 24 (1906 )
  • De getemde feeks, Overture after Shakespeare (1909 )
  • De Cid, opera (1916 )
  • Amphitrion, Overture, Op 45 (1938 )
  • Calme of nuits, for choir a cappella

Source

  • Blume, Friedrich ( ed.): The music in past and present, 1st Edition, 1949-1986.
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