The Amsterdammer Jan Pieterszoon Sweelinck (1562-1621), as they say and write beyond the Moerdijk, is the greatest composer the Netherlands has ever produced. To honour his 400th anniversary of death, the Sweelinck Festival organises a week full of concerts, workshops and other activities at various locations in Amsterdam from 16 to 24 October 2021. National and international musicians and ensembles perform Sweelinck's music and let themselves be inspired by his pieces.
Sweelinck was born in Deventer in 1562, but moved to Amsterdam at a young age. Sweelinck was an important Amsterdammer: he was in the service of the city for more than forty years as organist of the Oude Kerk and leader of the Amsterdam Collegium Musicum. He left behind a musical oeuvre of international top level and touching beauty. Sweelinck is the Rembrandt of music and was called by his contemporaries 'the Amsterdam Orpheus', after the musician from Greek mythology. Musically speaking, Sweelinck is the prelude to Johann Sebastian Bach, with whom he stands in a direct line through his pupils. His pupils came to Amsterdam to take lessons. In turn, they often grew into important musicians, such as the German composer Heinrich Scheidemann (1595-1663), who made the connection between Sweelinck and Bach.
Experience, enjoy and participate
With its programme, the Sweelinck Festival 2021 connects the music of then to now. Sweelinck's iconic music is the foundation, the festival provides new perspectives. At the festival, visitors can sing along and make music during various workshops. The passive listening concert only dates from the 19th century, and therefore Sweelinck's music was made to participate in. For visitors who prefer to immerse themselves in Sweelinck's pieces, there are various performances by (inter)national musicians and ensembles. In an accessible way, the festival shows that a composer who died 400 years ago still belongs in the canon today.
From 16 to 24 October, various programmes can be seen in, among others, the Muziekgebouw, Orgelpark, the Lutherse Kerk and the Stadsarchief.
Bob van Asperen cannot be missing from the festival as one of the figureheads of early music in the Netherlands. As a harpsichordist, he realised recordings with works by, among others, Frescobaldi, Froberger and Bach. At the festival, van Asperen performs a programme with works by Sweelinck, his predecessors and successors on organ, harpsichord and virginal.
Harpsichordist, organist and musicologist Pieter Dirksen selected nine pieces for the Sweelinck Festival which he plays in the Lutherse Kerk on virginal and organ. All genres of Sweelinck are represented: two toccatas, two fantasias, two sacred variations, two variation sequences and a setting of an English pavane.
In addition, the festival includes all Dutch initiatives that celebrate Sweelinck's music during his 400th anniversary of death in its programme.
Re-choir attempt
In the Muziekgebouw, singers and choirs can take part in an attempt to break the world record "singing polyphonic work by Jan Pieterszoon Sweelinck with as many singers as possible", under the direction of the ambitious choir director/singing pedagogue Emma Rekers. You too can register to participate in this 'Re-choir attempt'!
- WHAT: Sweelinck Festival 2021
- WHERE: Amsterdam and throughout the Netherlands
- WHEN: 16 to 24 October 2021
- INFO & TICKETS: https://www.sweelinckfestival.nl