Impressive concert opens the European Music Festival

By Gus Kairupan

JAKARTA (JP): Now, why would Alphons Diepenbronck make me think of Camille Saint-Sakns? And who on earth is Alphons Diepenbronck? Or, for that matter, Leon Orthel, Henri Delnooz, Henriette Bosmans and Hendrik Andriessen.

Composers, that's who they are, and their compositions were featured in the concert to mark the opening of the European Music Festival. Most events in the festival will be held at Erasmus Huis, the auditorium that over the years has acquired the reputation as the best classical music venue in Jakarta.

The reputation was borne out when the Amstel Trio from the Netherlands appeared last Wednesday evening. The crowd that streamed in, even after the trio had taken their positions on stage, were told they were welcome to sit on the floor.

"Or on the stage," quipped cellist Marien van Staalen, who together with pianist Tan Crone had already been in position for minutes, waiting for everyone to get seated or remain standing.

But to get back to the Delnoozes of the world. Or the Andriessens and others. There were two main reasons why I was particularly interested in the event. One of them was the relative anonymity of the composers, the second was the unusual combination of piano, cello and baritone.

Certainly Bosmans et al are unknown in this country, it is Chopin, Schubert, Debussy, Beethoven over and over again. I hasten to say that there is nothing wrong with good Ludwig, Franz, Claude and Frederic, but they are not the only ones to have been doing their bit to sooth savage breasts.

There are hundreds of "others" whose works and music are not on the regular concert menu because a certain conjunction of circumstances prevents them from becoming objects of adoration. Or maybe it was just lousy public relations.

But to get back to the concert and artists. Apart from pianist Tan Crone and cellist Marien van Staalen there was also baritone Remco Roovers. Top musicians all, who have more than earned their spurs on the concert stage, maybe even the opera stage (where Roovers is concerned, that is).

A thoroughly professional performance, interspersed thank heaven with explanatory comments by the performers. There's nothing to fault, except that in the opening piece, Leon Orthel's Sonata no. 2 Op. 41 for cello and piano, Tan Crone came out a smidgen too strong, causing a bit of a lopsided balance. It did not last long, though, and I am inclined to think that it was a matter of getting the feel of the piano. What followed went with flying colors.

As for Marien van Staalen, the man displayed such a wide range of colors (especially evident in Ginastera's Pampaena no. 2), such as I have not heard in quite a long time. Also strength and fireworks. But even those aspects are not useful if they are not handled properly.

Let us put it this way. When I noticed Rachmaninov vocalize on the program, my first thought was "Oh no, not again!" But then Marien put bow to strings and out poured music, almost imperceptible, as if he started his first note on the corresponding string in the piano. He was there before you even realized that he was there, if you follow me.

Remco Roovers is described as the "Benjamin" of the group. In chronological years he is, but as a singer he may be said to have arrived. I admit that I am not very familiar with the physical aspect of singing; that is to say, whether at his age (he is in his late 20s or very early 30s) his voice has matured completely.

Not that his interpretations were in any way unsatisfactory. As a matter of fact, as a Lieder singer, they were perfect.

The clearest of dictions is one of the top requirements for such works, and Remco handled German, French and even English (reputedly an awful language for singing) with commendable ease. He also revealed an astonishing vocal agility in Henri Delnooz's three pieces with words by Bertold Brecht.

It is a jagged work, full of gnarls and incredible vocal jumps, but Remco sailed right through it seemingly effortlessly. His voice has a degree of lightness which you would probably identify with buffa roles, operatically speaking, that is.

It probably remains to be seen whether it will expand, but for the moment I would readily identify it with Die Schoene Muellerin rather than Winterreise.

As you see, "conventional" composers were also represented: Rachmaninov, Ravel and Ginastera. The other five were all Dutch composers, the earliest being Alphons Diepenbrock (1862-1921).

Perhaps the reason why he made me think of Saint-Saens (1835) was that both remained firmly entrenched in romanticism in an era when such schools as impressionism, expressionism and whatnot had ceased to be trends and had become well established.

Even a-tonal Stravinsky was causing riots in Paris when the 20th century was in its teens, and musicians and critics, for once saw eye to eye and together heap abuse on Schoenberg and his 12-tone music.

I would say the European Music Festival got off on a flying start, and am particularly pleased that the Amstel Trio emphasized the works of unknown composers. It also shows that there were many composers whose works do stand up against those of the better known ones.

Diepenbrock, who is said to be mostly self-taught, is also described as the first Dutch composer of the 20th century whose works could be judged by international standards.

Hendrik Andriessen (1892-1981) also occupies a distinguished position in Dutch musical circles. His output is quite large, including hymns, all types of vocal works, sacred as well as secular, orchestral compositions, chamber music, and other instrumental works.

Andriesse is the patriarch of a family of musicians: two sons, Jurriaan and Louis, followed in his footsteps. Then there is daughter Caecilia, who adapted the Trois Pastorales, originally for voice and orchestra, for voice, cello and piano. Henriette Bosmans (1895-1952), who was represented at the concert by a song, The Artist's Secret, was a pupil of probably the foremost 20th century Dutch composer, Willem Pijper, and was herself well known as a performing artist (piano) and composer of many songs.

A very good concert was made all the more interesting because of the unknown, hence unheard works. I have peeked at the programs of other countries and it looks as if more of the same interesting fare will be coming our way. Certainly worth attending.