Monthly Archives: December 2020

Lera Auerbach: ‘I love the other-worldly sound of the theremin’.

Posted on December 29, 2020 by Thea Derks

The theremin is an electronic instrument that is played without physical contact. Because of its eerie sound it is often used in soundtracks for horror movies. But classical composer Lera Auerbach also regularly writes for it. Between 1999 and 2017 … Continue reading →

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L’enfant et les sortilèges Vopera: Enchanted world behind broken laptop screen

Posted on December 22, 2020 by Thea Derks

Covid-19 makes creative, it has almost become a cliché by now. But the British Vopera outshines them all with their debut, an online production of L’enfant et les sortilèges by Maurice Ravel. Singers from all over the world rehearsed via … Continue reading →

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The music of Arvo Pärt: from fierce dissonance to euphonious bell sounds

Posted on December 16, 2020 by Thea Derks

Which titles spring to mind on hearing the name of Arvo Pärt? Sonatina opus 1; Symphony no. 1; Perpetuum mobile, or Fratres; Für Alina; Spiegel im Spiegel? My guess is the second series, for in the nineties Pärt conquered the … Continue reading →

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‘Slagwerker & pianist Jeroen Elfferich: ‘De essentie van muziek ligt in eenvoud’

Posted on December 13, 2020 by Thea Derks

Jeroen Elfferich (Delft, 1965) begon zijn carrière als slagwerker in het schoolorkest van Pierre van Hauwe. Die had gewerkt met grootheden als Carl Orff en Zoltán Kodály en bracht hem een liefde bij voor onregelmatige Balkan-ritmes. Hij speelde drums en … Continue reading →

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Luister over #Reinbertbio: ‘De biografie van Reinbert de Leeuw waar je niet omheen kunt’

Posted on December 9, 2020 by Thea Derks

Ondanks alle jobstijdingen en afzeggingen wegens corona, krijg ik gelukkig af en toe ook goed nieuws. Zo verscheen er een mooie recensie van Slotakkoord: Reinbert de Leeuw 2014-2020 op de cultuursite Music and Books van Koen de Jager. ‘Het is … Continue reading →

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‘May’ Louis Andriessen: impressive swan song

Posted on December 5, 2020 by Thea Derks

‘Essential to my way of composing is the notion that music is always about other music. (…) This attitude makes one  constantly shift one’s interests. I don’t relate to composers who only ever search in one direction, such as Schoenberg. … Continue reading →

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