Léon Berben

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Léon Berben (born December 2, 1970 in Heerlen ) is a Dutch organist and harpsichordist .

Life

Léon Berben studied at the Koninklijk Conservatorium Den Haag and the Sweelinck Conservatorium in Amsterdam. His teachers were Rienk Jiskoot , Bob van Asperen , Ton Koopman and Gustav Leonhardt .

Since March 2000 he has worked as a harpsichordist at the Musica Antiqua Cologne . He has made guest appearances in Europe, Asia, North and South America. His playing was documented through recordings for Deutsche Grammophon and archive production. After the Musica Antiqua was dissolved, Berben took up the solo repertoire. In 2006 he founded the ensemble “Alte Musik Köln” (amk) with other musicians. His recordings on the Ramée and Aeolus labels were awarded the German Record Critics' Prize and the Choc from Le Monde de la Musique . In addition to his artistic activities, he writes specialist articles on historical performance practice and co-authored three articles for the new edition of the music encyclopedia The Music in Past and Present (MGG). For some time he has been teaching the same subject as a lecturer at the Rostock University of Music and Theater .

Léon Berben lives in Cologne .

Discography (selection)

  • 2004: Johann Caspar von Kerll , Orgelwerke - Toccata con il pedali in F, Aria con variazioni in D, Ricercata in cylindrum phonotacticum transferenda, Versi in the 1st and 2nd tone, Scaramuza, Ciaccona in C, Battaglia, Five Canzones, Passacaglia in d, Variationi Schmidt in C, Toccata in the 1st tone, Prelude in the 1st tone; Giovanni Valentini : 6 canzoni - canzona à 5 D major “Le bon”, à 6 G minor, à 6 D minor, à 6 G minor, à 6 D minor and à 5 G minor, on the Balthasar -König organ of the St. Leodegar monastery church in Niederehe / Rhineland-Palatinate (Aeolus)
  • 2005: Johann Ulrich Steigleder , Tabulatur Buch Darinnen Daß Vatter Unser Auff 2. 3 and 4 voices Componirt and forty times Varirt worth (1627) and Ricercar Tabulatura (1624), on the Arp Schnitger organ St. Jacobi Cuxhaven (2 CD, Aeolus)
  • 2006: Clarifica me , works by William Byrd , on the historic organ (around 1521) in Oosthuizen, Netherlands (Ramée)
  • 2010: Wilhelm Friedemann Bach , Claviermusik I, Carus 83 346 (grade 1)

Web links

personal data
SURNAME Berben, Léon
BRIEF DESCRIPTION Dutch harpsichordist and organist
DATE OF BIRTH 2nd December 1970
PLACE OF BIRTH Heerlen