Toebosch, Louis

Toebosch, Louis, Dutch organist, conductor, teacher, and composer; b. Maastricht, March 18, 1916. He studied at the School of Church Music in Utrecht, the Music Lyceum in Maastricht, and then the Royal Cons. in Liège (1934-39). He was active as a church organist in Breda (1940-65), conducted the Tilburg Sym. Orch. (1946-52), and then was founder-conductor of the Orlando di Lasso Choir (from 1953). He taught at the conservatories of Tilburg and Maastricht (1944-65); was director of the Brabant Cons. (1965-74). His music combines the polyphonic style of the Renaissance with modern techniques; he applies the 12-tone method of compostion in both secular and sacred music.

Works

orch: 2 suites (1939, 1948); Allegro for Organ and Orch. (1941); Tema con variazioni (1945); Het Lied van Hertog Jan (1949); Carnavalsige Ouverture (1955); Concertante Ouverture (1956); Variaties (1957); Feestelijke Ouverture (1960); Sinfonietta No. 2 (1961); Agena (1966); Changements for Organ and Orch. (1968); Organ Concerto (1983). CHAMBER: Sarabande en allegro for Wind Quintet (1959); The King’s Quartet for String Quartet (1968); Toccata, aria e finale for Viola (1969); Bilingua for Recorder and Harpsichord (1977); Muziek voor 3 barokinstrumenten for Recorder, Viola da Gamba, and Harpsichord (1980); Trio for Violin, Viola, and Cello (1991); Trois conversations for Viola (1996); Kassel ’97: Documenta X for Clarinet, Alto Saxophone, Trombone, Accordion, and Piano (1997). KEYBOARD: Piano: Sonata (1947); Suite polyphonica for 2 Pianos (1962); Pasticcio di Rofena for Piano, 4-Hands (1973); Zes speelstukken for 3 Pianos (1983); Trois positions (1991); Hamerslag (1995). Or-gan : Tryptique (1939; rev. 1980); Praeludium et Fuga super Te Deum laudamus (1954); 2 postludia (1964); Toccana (1973); Orgel-spiegel (1975); 3 Movements (1986); Suite Grégorienne (1994); Dominica pentecostes (1994); Autres pensées (1997); Meditazione communio Pascha nostrum (1998). VOCAL: Cantatorium carnevale for Tenor, Baritone, and Orch. (1957); Philippicamoderata for Solo Voices, Chorus, and Orch. (1963); De vier seizoenen, cantata-oratorio for Chorus and Orch. (1981); Cantata alfabetica for Chorus and Organ (1982); De twaalf maanden for Chorus and String Quartet (1990); Victimae Paschali for Women’s Chorus and Organ (1993); Canticum europaeum for Soprano, Baritone, Chorus, and Orch. (1994).

—Nicolas Slonimsky/Laura Kuhn/Dennis McIntire