Lange

Lange, prominent family of Dutch musicians:

(1) Samuel de Lange , organist and composer; b. Rotterdam, June 9, 1811; d. there, May 15, 1884. He studied organ and piano with Pruys and van Bree. He was organist of the Lutherse Kerk (1827–33), the Waalse Kerk (1833–54), the Zuider-Kerk (1854–64), and the St. Laurenskerk (1864–84); established a famous recital series at the latter. He also taught at the school of the Rotterdam Maatschappij tot Bevordering der Toonkunst from 1844 and was municipal carillonist. He wrote many works for the organ, including sonatas, fantasias, and various transcriptions, as well as some chamber music and songs. His 2 sons were also distinguished musicians:

(2) Samuel de Lange , organist, conductor, and composer; b. Rotterdam, Feb. 22, 1840; d. Stuttgart, July 7, 1911. He studied with his father and with J.F. Dupont and Verhulst. While on a concert tour with his brother, he studied with Winterberger in Vienna (1859) and then with Mikuli in Lemberg. He became a teacher at the school of the Rotterdam Maatschappij tot Bevordering der Toonkunst in 1862. He was also made director of the society’s choir and organist of the Waalse Kerk, and conducted concerts of Bach’s orch. works. After a period in Basel (1874–76) and Paris (1876–77), he taught organ at the Cologne Cons. (1877–84); was also active as a choral conductor. He became director of the (Toonkunst) Maatschappij music school at The Hague in 1885, then joined the faculty of the Stuttgart Cons, in 1893, serving as its director (1900–1908). He wrote 3 syms., a Piano Concerto, an oratorio, Mozes, cantatas, choruses, chamber music, organ pieces, songs, and piano pieces.

(3) D’aniel de Lange , cellist, conductor, and composer; b. Rotterdam, July 11, 1841; d. Point Loma, Calif., Jan. 31, 1918. He studied with his father and with J.F. Dupont and Verhulst, then studied cello with Ganz in Rotterdam and with Servais at the Brussels Cons., where he also had lessons in composition with Damcke. After concert tours with his brother, he taught cello at the school of the Rotterdam Maatschappij tot Bevordering der Toonkunst (1863–64). He was an organist and choral conductor in Paris (1864–70), and then taught at the (Toonkunst) Maatschappij music school in Amsterdam, later serving as director of the Cons. (1895–1913). He was also active as a conductor, gaining distinction through his performances of early music and contemporary compositions. He then went to the U.S., where he became director of the music dept. of the Isis Cons, of Art, Music, and Drama in Point Loma, Calif., in 1914. He wrote an opera, De val van Kuilenberg, 2 syms., a Cello Concerto, cantatas, chamber music, and piano pieces.

Bibliography

A. Averkamp, Levensbericht van D. d.h. (Leiden, 1918).

—Nicolas Slonimsky/Laura Kuhn/Dennis McIntire