Muziek Centrum Nederland

Simeon ten Holt

Nowadays Simeon ten Holt’s name is inextricably linked to the title of one specific composition: Canto Ostinato, the oceanic tapestry of sound for several pianos that has become incredibly popular with Dutch audiences over the past 30 years.

After completing his studies with Jacob van Domselaer, ten Holt (1923) moved to Paris in 1949 to study with Honegger and Milhaud at the École Normale. In 1954 he returned to his birthplace Bergen in the Dutch province of North Holland, where he has lived ever since. At first his idiom was strongly influenced by composers such as Chopin, Bartók and Janácek. In the 1950s he developed his ‘diagonal principle’, a composition method he developed himself which eventually enabled him to leave tonality behind. In the 60s he became influenced by serialism, as one can hear in Cyclus aan de waanzin (Cycle for Madness, 1961). He also experimented with aleatoric principles – ‘My entire life is determined by chance,’ he once said – and electronic music.

In the 70s ten Holt broke away from the serial methods and started to work on the repertory that made him famous from the 80s onwards. Canto Ostinato, which was premiered in 1979 and in no time became a contemporary piano classic, marked the beginning of a new phase of composition that is characterised by tonality, repetition and a great deal of freedom for the musicians, and in which the piano, the instrument with which the composer says he has an almost physical relation, once again plays a central role. Ten Holt has called his compositions from this period ‘reflections of his inner self’, as opposed to his more formalistic work from before Canto ostinato.

Ten Holt comes from a very artistic family: his father Henri (1884-1968) and his older brother Friso (1921-1997) were successful painters. At the moment there is an exhibition of their work titled Over en weer (Back and Forth) in museum Kranenburgh in Bergen. At the end of May the Rondane Quartet, which specialises in Simeon ten Holt’s music, will be giving a series of concerts featuring his works. At the concert in the Ruïnekerk in Bergen on 29 May, the four pianists will play Horizon (1985).

Joep Stapel

Current events and premieres:
29 May 2010: Horizon, de Ruïnekerk, Bergen.

 

4 characteristic statements by and about Simeon:

  • “Tonality after the death of tonality.”

  • A characteristic of my works is that they make great demands on the social solidarity of the players; there should be a “living with”. The clarity that needs to be created in the music can only be realised when the sun has shone on it for days, when many nights have passed, so the inner coherence – also between the players themselves – is born. (Agnes van der Horst, 1995)

  •  As far as I can tell at the moment, during my creative career the relation between the tone centre and the problem of tonality have determined my endeavours, both metaphorically and practically. This relation has gradually shifted from an intuitive realisation at first to a more conscious issue later on. The role of the tone centre, which sets out as an undisputed element, starts to change, it loses importance, it is overthrown by chromaticism and the equality of all tones, and finally it rises again in a new appearance, cleansed by death and catharsis. History on a large scale is reproduced on a small scale. (Donemus Composer Brochure, 1995)

  • Simeon ten Holt is the philosopher among Dutch composers. According to him, man is a ‘reproduction on a small scale of history on a large scale.’ His own biography is a striking illustration of this view. It is the life of an autodidact, a loner whose musical production is based on a life of discipline and ascesis.  (Bert Koopman, Het Financieele Dagblad)

  • In music you experience a succession of emotions and, as it were, simultaneously reflect on them, undergo them, think about them.

Simeon ten Holt [photo: Colette Noël-ten Holt]
photo: Colette Noël-ten Holt
concise personal portrait:

Simeon ten Holt’s interests:
Garlic (to chase off narrow-minded people).
‘The Mont Ventoux’: a personal recipe for a dish consisting of huge meat balls with large potatoes grown locally, tomatoes and other vegetables.

Simeon ten Holt’s heroes and inspiration:
Simeon ten Holt turns anecdotic experiences into compost, which is used for nurturing his compositions.
All classical composers have been an example and they still are, albeit in a transformed way.


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