Alphons Diepenbrock

Alphonsus Johannes Maria Diepenbrock (born September 2, 1862 in Amsterdam ; † April 5, 1921 there ) was a Dutch composer , writer and classical philologist.

Life

Diepenbrock (1891)

Alphons Diepenbrock was - along with four other siblings - the son of Ferdinand Hubert Aloys Diepenbrock (1828-1896, the Bocholt- born nephew of Melchior von Diepenbrock and Apollonia Diepenbrock ) and Johanna Josephina Kuytenbrouwer (1833-1904). As a child, Diepenbrock received piano and violin lessons and wanted to become a conductor, but at his father's request he studied classical philology at the University of Amsterdam from 1880 onwards. In 1888 he completed his studies with a dissertation on Seneca summa cum laude. He then worked for several years as a high school teacher in 's-Hertogenbosch , but returned to Amsterdam in 1895. There he taught ancient languages and wrote articles for various magazines and the like. a. on topics from music, literature, painting and politics. In 1895 he married Elisabeth de Jong van Beek en Donk (1868–1939). Two daughters were born in the marriage.

As a composer largely self-taught, his first major published work was a mass for tenor, male choir and organ in 1896 . Since the premiere of his Te Deum (1902), he has been considered the leading Dutch composer of his time. The Dutch conductor Willem Mengelberg campaigned for Diepenbrock's music. Friendly contact was also established with Gustav Mahler , who had visited Holland in 1903 and wrote to his wife Alma : “ Here I met a very interesting Dutch musician, named Diepenbrok, who writes very peculiar church music. "

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Diepenbrock's work is stylistically indebted to the late Romantic period, but also draws on the vowel polyphony of the 16th century ( Palestrina ). First of all, Wagner's influence is palpable; after 1910, his typesetting became significantly more transparent under the influence of French impressionism .

Diepenbrock composed mainly vocal works (especially piano and orchestral songs as well as choirs), setting texts from numerous German, Dutch and French poets to music. He also wrote sacred music as well as several drama and stage music.

Selection of works

On the lake of Goethe

Academic Feestmarsch (1882)
Stabat Mater dolorosa (1888)
Mass in the festo (1891)
Te Deum (1897)
Hymn for violin and piano (1898)
Hymns to the Night (1899)
In great silence , orchestral song (1906)
Marsyas , incidental music (1910)
De Nacht , orchestral song (1911)
Gijsbrecht van Aemstel , incidental music (1912)
Lydian Night for voice and orchestra (1913)
De vogels , incidental music based on Aristophanes (1917)

Elektra , incidental music based on Sophocles (1920)

Web links

Article about Diepenbrock and his position in the musical life of the time (s) (PDF file; 97 kB)

source

^ Mahler, Alma: Memories of Gustav Mahler (p. 289: letter, dated October 22, 1903, Zaandam). Ullstein, 1978. ISBN 3-548-03526-5 .

personal data
SURNAME	Diepenbrock, Alphons
ALTERNATIVE NAMES	Diepenbrock, Alphonsus Johannes Maria (full name)
BRIEF DESCRIPTION	Dutch composer, writer and classical philologist
DATE OF BIRTH	September 2, 1862
PLACE OF BIRTH	Amsterdam
DATE OF DEATH	April 5, 1921
Place of death	Amsterdam

[Mahler-1] Mahler, Alma: Memories of Gustav Mahler (p. 289: letter, dated October 22, 1903, Zaandam). Ullstein, 1978. ISBN 3-548-03526-5 .