Reinbert de Leeuw facts for kids
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Lambertus Reiner "Reinbert" de Leeuw (born September 8, 1938 – died February 14, 2020) was a famous Dutch conductor, pianist, and composer. He was known for performing and promoting new and modern classical music.
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Who Was Reinbert de Leeuw?
Reinbert de Leeuw was born in Amsterdam, Netherlands. His parents, Cornelis and Adriana, were both psychiatrists. From a young age, Reinbert showed a talent for music. He started taking piano lessons when he was just seven years old. He later studied music theory and piano at the Amsterdam Conservatoire. He also learned how to compose music from Kees van Baaren at the Royal Conservatory of The Hague.
Teaching and Professorship
De Leeuw shared his knowledge by teaching at the Royal Conservatoire of The Hague. He was also a professor at Leiden University starting in 2004. There, he taught about performing and creating arts from the 19th, 20th, and 21st centuries.
Founding the Schönberg Ensemble
In 1974, Reinbert de Leeuw started a music group called the Schönberg Ensemble. This group focused on playing music by composers from the "Second Viennese School." These composers included Schoenberg, Alban Berg, and Anton Webern. The ensemble also played many other modern and experimental pieces. De Leeuw even composed a piece called Etude for the string players in his ensemble.
Reinbert de Leeuw's Musical Career
Reinbert de Leeuw was a very busy and respected musician. He often conducted many of the Netherlands' top orchestras and ensembles. These included the Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra and the Netherlands Chamber Choir. He also worked with groups like the ASKO and the Netherlands Wind Ensemble.
International Performances
De Leeuw was not only famous in the Netherlands. He was a regular guest conductor in many European countries, including France, Germany, and England. He even conducted the famous Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra. He also performed in the United States at places like the Tanglewood Festival and Lincoln Center. He lectured at the Juilliard School of Music in New York. His travels also took him to Japan and Australia.
Opera Productions
De Leeuw was involved in many opera productions. He worked with the Dutch National Opera and the Nederlandse Reisopera. He conducted operas by famous composers like Stravinsky, Louis Andriessen, and György Ligeti. In 2011, he conducted Schoenberg's huge work, Gurre-Lieder. This was a dream come true for him.
Artistic Leadership Roles
De Leeuw held several important artistic leadership positions. In 1992, he was the guest artistic director for the Aldeburgh Festival. From 1994 to 1998, he was the artistic director of the Tanglewood Festival of Contemporary Music. He also advised the Sydney Symphony Orchestra on modern music. From 2001 to 2010, he was the artistic leader of the Nederlandse Orkest- en Ensemble-Academie.
Erik Satie's Music
Reinbert de Leeuw was especially known for his performances and recordings of music by Erik Satie. Satie was a French composer known for his unique and sometimes unusual pieces. De Leeuw recorded an album called Socrate with singer Barbara Hannigan. This album featured many of Satie's lesser-known works.
Final Concert and Passing
Reinbert de Leeuw gave his last concert on January 13, 2020, at the Muziekgebouw aan 't IJ in Amsterdam. He passed away at his home in Amsterdam on February 14, 2020, at the age of 81. He was survived by his two brothers, Kees and Hans.
Awards and Recognition
For his 70th birthday, Reinbert de Leeuw was honored. He was made a Knight of the Order of the Netherlands Lion. This is a very high honor in the Netherlands.
Notable Recordings
De Leeuw made many important recordings throughout his career. He was particularly praised for his recordings of Erik Satie's early piano music. He recorded for well-known labels like Philips and Nonesuch. One of his last studio recordings was of Franz Liszt's Via Crucis. This piece reflected De Leeuw's strong faith. He had recorded Via Crucis two other times before.
Reinbert de Leeuw's Compositions
Besides performing and conducting, Reinbert de Leeuw also composed his own music. Here are some of his works:
Orchestral Music
- 1965 Interplay for orchestra
- 1971–1973 Abschied, a symphonic poem for a large orchestra
- 2013 Der nächtliche Wanderer, another symphonic poem for a large orchestra
Music for Wind Band
- 1970 Hymns and Chorals
Vocal Music
- 2003 Im wunderschönen Monat Mai – a collection of 21 songs based on poems by Robert Schumann. This piece was both spoken and sung by Barbara Sukowa.
Chamber Music
- 1962–1963 Quartetto per archi (String Quartet)
- 1983–1985 Etude for string quartet
Piano Works
- 1964 Music for piano I
- 1966 Music for piano II
See also
In Spanish: Reinbert de Leeuw para niños
