Joep Franssens

Joep Franssens (born 1955) is a Dutch composer.

Biography

Education

Joep Franssens was born in 1955, in Groningen, Netherlands. He studied composition with Louis Andriessen at the Royal Conservatory in The Hague. In 1982 he continued his studies with Klaas de Vries at the Rotterdam Conservatory, where, in 1988, he concluded his study period with the Composition Prize. ^[1]

Work

Franssens' music represents the ‘New Spirituality’ in the Netherlands. He "aims to express the Universal". Among his inspirations are found writers and philosophers like Fernando Pessoa and Baruch de Spinoza.

His music has been performed globally. He has worked with choirs such as the Swedish Radio Choir, BBC Singers, Latvian National State Choir, Finnish Radio Chamber Choir and Netherlands Chamber Choir. Pianist Ralph van Raat has his music on his repertoire since 2000. The first movement of the cycle Harmony of the Spheres has been selected for the ISCM days in Maribor (Slovenia) in September 2003, performed by the BBC Singers conducted by Stephen Betteridge. In the fall of 2012 this work sees its 100th performance by Sinfonia Rotterdam and Conrad van Alphen. The complete cycle is staged again in the fall of 2014 by the Croatian Radio-Television Choir (HRT-choir) with conductor Tonči Bilić.

Compositions

• Between the Beats (1979) for two pianos
• August Moon (1979) for piano
• Turn (1980) for 2 oboes and cello
• Solo for Flute (1980)
• Ellipsis (1983) for harpsichord
• Echo's (1983) for 4 flutes, 3 oboes, 3 trumpets, vibraphone, marimba and strings(7.7.7.4.2)
• Consort Music (1984) for 2 flutes, oboe (English horn), bass clarinet, French horn, bassoon, violin, viola, cello, double bass and piano
• Phasing (1985) for women's choir and orchestra: text (Portuguese) by Fernando Pessoa
• Low Budget Music (1986) for flute, oboe (English horn), clarinet (bass clarinet), French horn, bassoon, piano, violin, viola, cello and double bass
• Old Songs, New Songs (1988) for 2 pianos
• Dwaallicht (1989) for 2 sopranos and ensemble: text (Latin) by Spinoza
• Floating (1989) for 2 vibraphones and 3 marimbas
• Taking the Waters (1990) for solo soprano and orchestra
• The straight Line (1991) for saxophone quartet
• Primary Colours (1992) for saxophone orchestra
• The Gift of Song (1994) for 2 pianos
• New Departure (1995) for cello and piano
• After the Queen's Speech (1995) for brass ensemble
• Sanctus (1996) for orchestra
• Winter Child (1996) for piano
• Sarum Chant (1997) for vocal quartet and gamelan
• Roaring Rotterdam (1997) for orchestra
• Entrata (1997) for cello and 2 pianos
• Magnificat (1999) for soprano, choir and orchestra: text (Portuguese) by Fernando Pessoa
• Harmony of the Spheres (1994-2001); cycle in five movements for mixed chorus and string orchestra
• Intimation of Spring (2001-2004) for piano
• Tales of Wonder (2003); seven pieces for piano (2-4 hands)
• Bridge of Dawn, movement 1 (2004-2006) for orchestra
• Harmony of the Spheres, movement 5 (2005); version for flute orchestra
• Song of Release (2005) for piano
• Blue Encounter (2006) for viola
• Grace (2008) for orchestra
• Bridge of Dawn, movement 2 (2005-2011) for soprano, mixed choir and orchestra
• Harmony of the Spheres, first movement (2012) version for string orchestra
• Harmony of the Spheres, fifth movement (2013) version for string orchestra
• Symmetry (2014), a dance-opera film
• Piano Concerto (2015)
• Piano Concerto (2016) version for chamber orchestra
• Taking the Waters (2016) version for 4 pianos

External links

• Website Joep Franssens

References

1. http://www.joepfranssens.com/site/page.php?ID=85&lang= Biography at official website