Gilse, Jan van
Gilse, Jan van
Gilse, Jan van, Dutch conductor and composer; b. Rotterdam, May 11, 1881; d. Oegstgeest, near Leiden, Sept. 8, 1944. He studied with Wiillner at the Cologne Cons. (1897-1902) and with Humperdinck in Berlin (1902-03). He was a conductor of the Bremen Opera (1905-08) and of the Dutch Opera at Amsterdam (1908-09); was music director of the City of Utrecht (1917-22). He lived again in Berlin (1922-33), then was director of the Utrecht Cons. (1933-37). His music is heavily imbued with German Romanticism.
Works
DRAMATIC Opera: Fmu Helga von Stavern (1911); Thijl (1938-40; 1st complete perf., Amsterdam, Sept. 21, 1976; also a symphonic extract, Funeral Music, 1940). ORCH.: 5 syms.: No. 1 (1900-1901), No. 2 (1902-03), No. 3, Erhebung for Soprano and Orch. (1903; rev. 1928), No. 4 (1914), and No. 5 (1922-23; unfinished sketch only); Concert Overture (1900); Variaties over een St. Nicolaasliedje (Variations on a St. Nicholas Song; 1909; also for Piano); 3 Tanzkizzen (Dance Sketches) for Piano and Small Orch. (1926); Prologus brevis (1928); Kleine Vals for Small Orch. (1936). CHAMBER: Nonet (1916); Trio for Flute, Violin, and Viola (1927). VOCAL: Eine Lebensmesse, oratorio (1904); 6 Songs for Soprano and Orch. (3 songs, 1915; 3 songs, 1923); Der Kreis des Lebens, oratorio (1928); other songs.
—Nicolas Slonimsky/Laura Kuhn/Dennis McIntire