Suite

You MUST adjust your volume accordingly, as this work ranges from ppp to fff!

This upload is dedicated with thanks to my very good friend, Francois Ratté - "The Hauptwerk Consultant"!

Hendrik Franciscus Andriessen (1892-1981) was a Dutch composer and organist. He is remembered most of all for his improvisation at the organ and for the renewal of Catholic liturgical music in the Netherlands.

He composed in a musical idiom that revealed strong French influences. He was the brother of pianist and composer Willem Andriessen and the father of the composers Jurriaan Andriessen and Louis Andriessen and of the flutist Heleen Andriessen.

Andriessen studied composition with Bernard Zweers and organ with Jean-Baptiste de Pauw at the Conservatory of Amsterdam. As the organist at Utrecht Cathedral, he became well known for his improvisation abilities. From 1926 to 1954, he lectured in composition and music theory at the Amsterdam Conservatory while also teaching at the Institute for Catholic Church Music in Utrecht between 1930 and 1949. He was the director of the Utrecht Conservatory from 1937 to 1949.

During World War II, Andriessen refused to join the "Cultural House" and was thus barred from public functions by the Nazi occupiers. He was taken hostage by the occupation from July 13-December 18, 1942, but released.

Andriessen's works included, eight masses, a setting of the Te Deum, four symphonies, variations for orchestra, chamber music, sonatas for cello and for piano, and works for solo organ.

"Suite" dates from 1968. There are four movements:

Andante maestoso (0:00)
Adagio (3:47)
Semplice con eleganza (9:43)
Largo e maestoso / Allegro moderato (13:05)

These pieces show the composer's recognizable harmonic style. The movements are quite varied, yet there is a feeling of unity about them. I found the second movement, "Adagio" to be absolutely spellbinding.

The score is attached below, as well as photos of Andriessen and of St. Catharine's Cathedral, Utrecht.