Kee, Cornelis
Kee, Cornelis
Kee, Cornelis, distinguished Dutch organist, pedagogue, and composer, father of Piet(er Willem) Kee; b. Zaandam, Nov. 24, 1900; d. there, Jan. 3, 1997. He studied organ and piano with de Pauw, composition with Dresden, and voice with Denijs at the Amsterdam Cons. He was active as a church and concert organist, becoming widely known as a master of improvisation. In 1951 he became a prof, at the Haarlem International Summer Academy. In 1976 he was made a Knight of the Order of Oranje-Nassau. He publ. 3 collections of Psalms for organ, which treat old Psalm tunes contra-puntally In some of his own compositions (almost exclusively for organ), he applied polyphonic devices of the classical Flemish school in a modern way, including serial procedures.
Works
Reeksveranderingen (Serial Permutations; 1966); Phases for Organ (1966); Phases for Organ (1969); Blijde incomste (Joyful Entry), variations on a traditional song, for Brass, Percussion, and Piano (1969); Sweelinck Variations for Horn, 2 Trumpets, 2 Trombones, and Organ (1973); Suite for Harpsichord or Organ (1974); Homopoly, 4 pieces for Piano (1979); numerous teaching pieces for organ.
—Nicolas Slonimsky/Laura Kuhn/Dennis McIntire