Premier Choral

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.

"Premiere Choral" dates from 1913. In it you will hear the "similarities" that causes comparisons between Andriessen's music and that of Cesar Franck. However, their individual harmonic languages seems quite different to me, and I don't think I would ever think that this was an actual piece by Franck.

The Dudelange recording was the first of the two. This organ, fine as it is, seems too "aggressive" in some ways. The Metz organ is closer to what Andriessen would have played.

I don't have an "original score," so I haven't attached the "arranged" version that I used. Photos of Andriessen and of St. Catharine's Cathedral, Utrecht, are attached.