Willem Jeths - Composer

Willem Jeths has written chamber music, orchestral music and operas, at first in an atonal idiom, later leaning toward a more traditional tonality. He has received international recognition for several of his compositions.

Willem Jeths was born on August 31, 1959 in Amersfoort, The Netherlands.

Education
Jeths started his musical career as a child with piano and music theory lessons in the Music School of Amersfoort with Paul Seelig. He originally studied music education at the Sweelinck Conservatory in Amsterdam, from 1980 to 1982. He continued with composition at the Conservatory of Utrecht with Hans Kox and Tristan Keuris. He finished his studies with Keuris in 1988.
In addition to composition, Willem also studied musicology at the University of Amsterdam (1983-1991). He completed his studies with a doctoral dissertation about Elisabeth Kuyper (1877–1953), a composer and conductor, which was later published in the book, ‘Zes Vrouwelijke Componisten’.

Compositions
“What can I say about my music? For me, intuition and associations are the keywords while composing, together with striving towards a clarity and economy of musical material. Life/Death and Nature are the main sources of my inspiration. …It is not surprising that people say orchestral colours and timbres are my ‘trademark’.”– Willem Jeths
Jeths has composed chamber and orchestral music (including solo concertos), songs and three operas (Hôtel de Pékin (2007), The Tell-Tale Heart (2018), Ritratto (2019), initially in an atonal idiom, but later flirting with tonality. He draws on the past and attempts to enrich it through experimentation. “My music is about extremes: strict purity versus distortion, loud against soft.” While his music is rich in tone colour, Jeths is frugal with his musical material. He meticulously works out timbral effects, often calling for playing techniques unused in the West – or anywhere – and creatively incorporating uncommon sound sources: toy instruments, breaking glass, dripping water.
He has been commissioned to write ‘Flugelhorn Concerto‘ (2002) and ‘Scale -le tombeau de Mahler‘ (2010) for the Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra, ‘Intus trepidare‘ for Kronos Quartet, 9 works for the ‘Zaterdag Matinee’ concert series (Symphony nr. 1), 3 works for the Rotterdam Philharmonic, 2nd piano concerto ‘Fas/Nefas‘ for the Osaka Symphoniker (Japan), cello concerto ‘Falsa/Ficta‘ for the Nederlands Philharmonisch Orkest, ‘Harp Concerto‘ for the Residentie Orkest, ‘Seanchai‘ for Het Gelders Orkest, clarinet concerto ‘Yellow Darkness‘ for Het Brabants Orkest, ‘Quale Coniugium!’ and ‘Suite Hôtel de Pékin‘ for Philharmonie Zuid-Nederland etc.
His most recent works include Symphony nr.1 (2012),‘Mors aeterna‘ for symphony orchestra (2015), ‘Recorder Concerto‘ for recorder solo and symphony orchestra (2014), ‘Conductus‘ (2014) to commemorate the bombardment of Rotterdam 75 years ago and Constructio (2018) building up of the city Rotterdam.
Recent works include ‘Requiem‘ (World Premiere 2017) for mixed choir, 2 vocal soloists and symphony orchestra, song cycle ‘Laudi d’Amore‘ (2016) for baritone and violin, ‘Suite Hôtel de Pékin‘ (WP 2016) for symphony orchestra, as well as a work for the 100th anniversary of the Rotterdam Philharmonic Orchestra (WP 2018), a monodrama ‘The Tell-Tale Heart’ commissioned by the ZaterdagMatinee and premiered by soprano Juliane Banse, Radio Philharmonic Orchestra Jaap van Zweden and a third opera ‘Ritratto’ for the Opera Forward Festival of the Dutch National Opera (WP 2020).

Other professional experience
Jeths has been senior composition teacher at the Conservatory of Amsterdam since 2007. He was also a composition teacher at the Fontys Conservatory in Tilburg from 2002 to 2007.
In the 2004–2005 season, Jeths was composer-in-residence with Het Gelders Orkest and the Brabant Orchestra, in 2005-2006 with De Doelen in Rotterdam and during the 2006–2007 season with the Orkest van het Oosten. In the year 2000 there was a three-day Willem Jeths Festival in Rotterdam.

Awards
Jeths won the Composition Prize from the Conservatory of Utrecht in 1988. His composition, ‘Novelette’ for violin and piano (1986) was selected for the ISCM World Music Days in 1990 in Oslo. During the Carl-Maria-von-Weber-Wettbewerb für Streichquartettkompositionen in Dresden in 1991, Jeths received a distinction award for his string quartet, ‘Arcate’ (1990). The following year, he received another distinction for the same work as a string orchestra version. In 1996, Jeths received second and third prize in the Internationaler Wiener Kompositionswettbewerb for his violin concerto, ‘Glenz’ (1993) and his ‘Piano Concerto‘ (1994).
In 2008, Jeths’ work ‘Meme‘ was selected for the Toonzetters Prize.
In November 2014 he was appointed by copyright organization BUMA/STEMRA as the first “Componist des Vaderlands” of The Netherlands (Composer Laureate of the Netherlands). Also in 2014, Jeths won the prestigious “Amsterdam Prijs voor de Kunst” (Amsterdam Prize for the Arts) for his entire oeuvre, awarded by the Amsterdam Fonds voor de Kunst (AFK).

Opera

Opera Hôtel de Pékin -dreams for a dragon queen- (2008)

libretto: Friso Haverkamp

duration: 130'
bass; dram. soprano; soprano; baritone; count.tenor; high baritone; 3 female voices (soprano; mezzo; alto)
mixed chorus; male chorus
2222 2221 timp 8 perc strings
commissioned by the Nationale Reisopera Enschede
premiere on the occasion of the opening of the new opera-theatre Muziekkwartier in Enschede
dedicated to Menno and Petra

Orchestra + soloists

Requiem

for mixed choir, soprano-solo, baritone-solo and symphony orchestra
on latin text
commissioned by Zaterdag Matinee
premiere March 2017

Monument to a Universal Marriage (version for orchestra)

for 2 vocal soloists (sopr/mezzo;ten/baritone;sopr/baritone) clar and string orchestra)

Recorder Concerto

for recorder (soprano) and symphony orchestra (2,2,2,2,2,2,2,timp,celesta,perc, strings)
dedicated to Erik Bosgraaf

Triple Concerto (2011)

for piano-trio and orchestra (also version for piano-trio and ensemble)
dedicated to the Storioni Trio

Violin Concerto no 2 -diptych portrait- (2010)

for violin and symphony orchestra
commissioned by the ZaterdagMatinee
dedicated to Tasmin Little.

MEME (2007)

for 2 violas and orchestra (transcr. for orchestra)
2 solo violas, clarinet in b-flat, bassoon, horn in f, 2 perc. (vibraphone, crotales, gongs, cencerros, crystal Glasses), harp, piano/celesta, vl 1, vl 2, vle, vc, cb.
dedicated to Susanne van Els and Nobuko Imai

Clarinet Concerto -Yellow Darkness- (2005)

for clarinet and symphony orchestra
duration: 18'22
2233 2221 timp 5 perc hp str cl-solo
dedicated to Lars Wouters van den Oudenweijer
FCM, Brabants Orkest

Flugelhorn Concerto (2002)

for flugelhorn and orchestra
2333 4321 6perc pf(cel,synth) org ad lib.str(16.14.12.10.8.)flugelh-solo
duration: 22'
at the request of the Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra
dedicated to Peter Masseurs
FCM, KCO

Bandoneon Concerto (2001)

for bandoneon and string orchestra
duration: 20'
commissioned by the Nieuw Sinfonietta Amsterdam
dedicated to Per Arne Glorvigen
FCM

Falsa/Ficta (1999)

for violoncello and symphony orchestra (2233 3221 timp 6 perc str.)
duration 35'
commissioned by the Netherlands Philharmonic Orchestra
dedicated to Frances-Marie Uitti

Fas/Nefas (1997)

version for piano solo and orchestra
pf-solo 3232 4221 hp pf timp 3perc str
duration: 27'
dedicated to Tomoko Mukaiyama, Tetsuji Honna en de Osaka Symphoniker

Fas/Nefa (1997)

version for harp and chamber orchestra
duration: 27'
dedicated to Godelieve Schrama

Piano Concerto (1994)

for piano and symphony orchestra 4233 6431 timp 6perc str
duration: 22'
dedicated to Folke Nauta
FCM
3rd prize Vienna International Composition Competition 1996

Glenz (1993)

for violin and string orchestra
duration: 25'
dedicated to Peter Brunt, Lev Markiz and Nieuw Sinfonietta Amsterdam
FCM, for Nieuw Sinfonietta's 5th anniversary
2nd prize Vienna International Composition Competition 1996

Concerto for Alto Saxophone (1985, rev. 1986/ 1987)

for alto-saxophone and string orchestra
duration: 15'
dedicated to Olga de Roos

Orchestra

Suite Hotel de Pekin

for symphony orchestra (2-2-2-2-2-2-2-1-perc.- strings)

commissioned by Philharmonie Zuid Nederland and the Rotterdam Philharmonic Orchestra
duration: 13'

Conductus

for symphony orchestra (2,2,2,2,2,2,2,1,timp,perc,strings)
written for the commemoration of the bombardment on Rotterdam 75 years ago
duration 13'

Mors Aeterna

for symphony orchestra (2,2,2,2,2,2,2,1,timp perc, organ(pedal), strings)
pre-study for REQUIEM
duration ca 8'

Symphony nr. 1 (2012)

for symphony orchestra and mezzo soprano
poems taken from West Oestlicher Divan by Goethe
commissioned by Zaterdag Matinee

Metanoia (2012)

for symphony orchestra
commissioned by Holland Symfonia

Scale -le tombeau de Mahler- (2010)

for symphony orchestra
commissioned by the Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra
dedicated to Frans Schalij

video link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4vMMdBHjje0

Ombre Cinesi (2005)

for symphony orchestra
2233 2221 timp perc hp cel str erhu-solo
duration: 9'
At the request of the Holland Symfonia on the occasion of the opening of the Philharmonie in Haarlem

Seanchai, an after-image (2004)

for symphony orchestra
2222 2220 timp 3perc hp str (12.10.8.6.4.)
duration: 11'
commissioned by the Gelders Orkest,
dedicated to Menno Zwart FCM

E Pluribus Unum (2003)

for symphony orchestra
2222 2200 2perc el. g-b str (8.6.5.4.2)
duration: 10'
commissioned by the NPS/Holland Festival
FCM, NPS

Flux/Reflux (1998)

for symphony orchestra
2222 2210 perc str
duration: 17'
dedicated to Marion Keuris
FCM

Throb (1995)

for symphony orchestra
3333 4431 timp 8perc 2hp org str
'To the memory of my mother'
symphony orchestra
commisioned by Radio Nederland Wereldomroep
duration: 17'
commissioned by Radio Netherlands International for the Rotterdam Philharmonic FCM

Meander (1994)

for symphony orchestra
2233 4431 timp 4perc hp str
duration: 15'
dedicated to Alexander Vakoulsky and Het Orkest at the occasion of its 10th anniversary

Arcate (1991)

for string orchestra
duration: 17'30''
originally for string quartet (1990)
award in the Music for Strings Competition of Oare, Kent, 1992

Procurans Odium (1984)

for symphony orchestra
2230 4231 timp perc. hp str.
orchestra
duration: 7'
dedicated to Maaike Hoogesteijn

Vocal Music

Protestlied (2013)

For the Concertgebouw Orchestra.

Baritone - Martijn Cornet

Text - Carel Alphenaar

Monument to a universal marriage (2011)

for clarinet, string quartet and 2 voices (tenor/bariton or soprano/alto or soprano/bariton)
duration: 16 minutes

To commemorate the occasion of the in Best, Netherlands, taken initiative to open civil marriage to people of the same sex.

Songs for a DRAGON QUEEN (2004)

Hades' Wane, songs from within
pre-study for the opera Hôtel de Pékin -dreams for a dragon queen-

aria for soprano and bass
1121 1111 timp perc str
text: Friso Haverkamp
dration: 20'
commissioned by the Schoenberg Ensemble
FCM

Zjisszjiss (1995)

aria (Fong Leng) for soprano and saxophone quartet, from the opera Mathilde Willink
text: Bertjan ter Braak
duration: 2'

I go (1995)

aria from the opera Mathilde Willink, version for mezzo soprano and saxophone quartet

I go (1994)

aria for mezzo soprano, clarinet and string quartet, from the opera Mathilde Willink
text: Bertjan ter Braak
duration: 9'
commisioned by Heidemaatschappij & FCM
dedicated to Marion van den Akker

D'aprile e di maggio (1992)

for soprano, mezzo soprano, bariton, flute, clarinet and bassoon
text: from Corona dei Mesi, Folgore da San Gimignano
duration: 7'
commissioned by the Society for Amateur Music & FCM

Crimes glorieux, for mixed choir, two pianos and percussion (1990)

for mixed choir 2 pianos, timp vibr(&mar) cel 4perc
text: Comte de Lautréamont
duration: 15'
dedicated to the choral society 'Nieuwe Muziek'
FCM

Les chats (1983)

(manuscript, not published)
cycle of songs for soprano/baritone and piano
text: Les Chats, Charles Baudelaire
duration: 12'
dedicated to Maja Schermerhorn

Chanson einer Dame im Schatten (1983)

(manuscript, not published)
for soprano and ensemble
pic 2fl cl-b 2h 2vl vla vc cb
text: Paul Celan
duration: 8'
dedicated to Maja Schermerhorn

Chamber music large ensemble

Triple Concerto (2011)

for piano-trio and and ensemble (clarinet, bassoon, horn, percussion, string quintet)
dedicated to the Storioni Trio

MEME (2006)

for 2 violas and ensemble (clar in b-flat, bassoon, horn in f, 2 perc
(vibraphone, crotales, gongs, cencerros, crystal glasses))
harp, piano/celesta, string quintet
dedicated to Susanne van Els and Nobuko Imai

Chiaroscuro, arr. for ensemble (1996)

ob cl vl vc pf 1perc
duration: 5'
FCM

A bout de souffle (1993)

cl fg 2vl vla vc cb
duration: 12'
dedicated to the ASKO Ensemble
FCM

Chamber music small ensemble

Laudi d'Amore

for baritone and violin
on poems in Italian by Gandolfo Cascio adn Elio Pecora

The Conspiracy of CC

for altorecorder solo
deicated to Erik Bosgraaf
duratio ca. 6'

Nero su Bianco...Danze? (2012)

for piano solo
commissioned by Joed Elich
dedicated to Joed Elich

Sosia (2009)

for violin solo
commisioned by Radio 4 for Janine Jansen and the International Chamber Music Festival Utrecht
dedicated to Janine Jansen

Intus Trepidare, Third String Quartet (2003)

for string quartet
duration: 22'
at request of Kronos Quartet
dedicated to KRONOS QUARTET
commissioned by Mrs. Ralph I. Dorfman

Elegia (2002)

for viola solo
duration: 11'
dedicated to Susanne van Els

TIM/BA (2000)

for piano and 3 percussionists
duration: 16'
commisioned by Lantaren/Venster, Rotterdam
with financial support by FCM & Hans Coreelmont
dedicated to Hans Coreelmont and Eddy Janning
premiere for the Willem Jeths Festival (May 2000)

CHIASMOS (2000)

for pianotrio
duration: 16'
commissioned by the Osiris Trio
FCM
dedicated to the Osiris Trio

Capriccio (1999)

version for violin
duration: 8'
FCM

Bella Figura (1999)

for violoncello
duration: 13'
commisssioned by the project "who's afraid..."
dedicated to Frances-Marie Uitti
FCM

Capriccio (1999)

version for viola
duration: 8'

Onde (1998)

for wind quintet
fl(fl-a pic) ob (whistle) cl(cl in E flat) h fg
duration: 16'
with financial support of FCM & NCRV Broadcasting Company
dedicated to the Fodor Quintet

Vertooning (1997)

for harp
duration: 12'
with financial support of the Philip Morris Finest Selection Foundation
dedicated to Godelieve Schrama

…Un vago ricordo… , Second String Quartet (1996)

for string quartet
duration: 14'
dedicated to the Orpheus Quartet
commissioned by NOG Insurance Company & FCM

Chiaroscuro (1995)

for piano
duration: 5'
dedicated to Eddy Janning
commisioned by NRC Handelsblad daily newspaper, on the occasion of its 25th anniversary & FCM

Dwaallicht (1995)

for flute and tape
commisioned by the Rotterdamse Arts Foundation for the 'ConSequenze' Berio-project
dedicated to Abbie de Quant
FCM

Mythos (1992)

for harpsichord
duration: 11'
commissioned by and dedicated to Annelie de Man
FCM

Epitheta (1991)

for piano
duration: 12'
dedicated to Polo de Haas

Morpheus (1991)

for 2 violins
duration: 10'
commisioned by Introdans and ASKO
FCM

Arcate, First String Quartet (1990)

for string quartet
duration: 16'
For the VARA-Matinee's 30th anniversary and the Raphael Quartet
FCM
Honorary award of the international Carl-Maria-von-Weber-Wettbewerb für String Quartet Compositions, Dresden, 1991

Raptim (1988)

for flute, clarinet (alt/bass) and piano
duration: 14'
'Homage to my tutor 'Tristan Keuris'. Based on Piano Trio (1984) by Tristan Keuris
dedicated to Het Trio FCM

Brezza (1987, rev.1998)

for flute (picc, fl-a) and percussion (1 perc (Glocksp, vibra., xyl, mar.)
duration: 7'30''

Novelette (1986)

for violin and piano
duration: 9'
dedicated to Isabelle van Keulen and Reinild Mees
2nd Public Award of Concertzender and Buma 1993
obligatory work Oscar Back concours, Amsterdam

Plans:

- new piece on commission of Calefax (wind quintet), https://calefax.nl/ ,piece about ‘love’ (theme asked by Calefax). Premiere in Autumn 2021.

- Celloconcert on commission of the Cello-biënnale 2023.

- making a suite from his opera Ritratto for Philharmonie Zuid-Nederland, premiere in September 2021 conducted at the inauguration-concert of their new chef-conductor Duncan Ward.