Hellendaal, Pieter

Hellendaal, Pieter, Dutch-born English organist, violinist, and composer; b. Rotterdam (baptized), April 1, 1721; d. Cambridge, April 19, 1799. He was taken as a child to Utrecht, where he became organist at St. Nicolas Church. When the family went to Amsterdam in 1737, he found a patron in the city secretary Mattheus Lestevenon, who helped him to study with Tartini in Italy. In 1751 he went to London, where he was organist at St. Margaret’s Church, King’s Lynn (1760); Pembroke Hall Chapel, Cambridge (1762); and Peterhouse Chapel, Cambridge (1777). He was also active as a violinist and a composer. His concerti grossi and violin sonatas are skillfully written.

Works

(6) Sonate for Violin and Basso Continuo, op.l (Amsterdam, c. 1745); VI Sonate for Violin and Basso Continuo, op.2 (Amsterdam, c. 1750); 6 Grand Concertos for Strings and Basso Continuo, op.3 (London, c. 1758; ed. in Monumenta Musicae Neerlandicae, I, 1959); 6 Solos for Violin and Basso Continuo, op.4 (London, c. 1777); 8 Solos for Cello and Basso Continuo, op.5 (Cambridge, c. 1780); 3 Grand Lessons for Harpsichord or Piano, Violin, and Cello, op.6 (London, c. 1790); Hellendaal’s Celebrated Rondo for Violin and Basso Continuo (Cambridge, c. 1790); also 11 sonatas for Violin and Basso Continuo in MS. His other works include the cantata Strephon and Myrtilla for Voice, Violin or Flute, and Basso Continuo (Cambridge, c. 1785); A Collection of Psalms and Hymns…for 3 to 4 Voices and Basso Continuo (Cambridge, 1790); glees; catches; etc.

—Nicolas Slonimsky/Laura Kuhn/Dennis McIntire