Léon Orthel Explained

Léon Orthel (4 October 1905, Roosendaal  - 6 September 1985, The Hague)^[1] was a Dutch composer, pianist and teacher.

In 1921 he became a student of the Royal Conservatory of The Hague. He studied violin with André Spoor,^[2] piano with Everhard van Beijnum and composition with Johan Wagenaar. He later studied at the Berlin Hochschule für Musik with Paul Juon and Curt Sachs.^[3]

His compositions include among other works 6 symphonies^{[4] [5]} and two cello concertos.^{[4] [5]}

His third and fifth symphonies received awards from the Dutch government, in 1946 and 1962 respectively.^[6]

Works

Orchestral

• Symphony No. 1, Op. 13 (1931–1933)
• Symphony No. 2 Piccola Sinfonia, Op. 18 (1940)
• Symphony No. 3, Op. 24 (1943)
• Kleine balletsuite (Little Ballet Suite), Op. 31 (1947)
• Scherzo No. 1, Op. 37 (1954–1955)
• Scherzo No. 2, Op. 38 (1956–1957)
• Symphony No. 5 Musica iniziale, Op. 43 (1959–1960)
• Symphony No. 6, Op. 45 (1960–1961)
• Tre movimenti ostinati, Op. 59 (1971–1972)
• Album di disegni, Op. 81 (1976–1977)
• Evocazione, Op. 83 (1977)
• Tweede suite (Suite No. 2), Op. 88 (1980)

Concertante

• Kleine burleske for cello and orchestra, Op. 8 No. 2 (1926)
• Scherzo for piano and orchestra, Op. 10 (1929)
• Concerto No. 1 for cello and orchestra, Op. 11 (1929, Berlin) "Aan mijn Ouders"
• Concertino alle burla for piano and orchestra, Op. 12 (1930) Voor Pim^[5]
• Symphony No. 4 Sinfonia concertante for piano and orchestra, Op. 32 (1949)
• Concerto for trumpet and orchestra, Op. 68 (1973–1974)
• Muziek for double bass and orchestra, Op. 89 (1980–1981)
• Concerto No. 2 for cello and orchestra, Op. 95 (1984)^[7]

Chamber music

• Sonata No. 2 for violin and piano, Op. 15 (1933)
• Capriccio for violin and piano, Op. 19 (1939)
• Sonata No. 2 for cello and piano, Op. 41 (1958)
• Cinque pezzettini for clarinet and piano, Op. 46 (1963)
• String Quartet, Op. 50 (1964)
• Sonata for viola and piano, Op. 52 (1964–1965)
• Otto abbozzi for flute, cello and piano, Op. 57 (1971)
• Mouches au rosier, 2 Miniatures for violin and piano, Op. 76 (1975)
• Kleine suite (Little Suite) for violin and piano, Op. 79 (1977)
• Miniaturen for flute (recorder) and piano, Op. 80 (1977)

Harp

• Vijf bagatellen (5 Bagatelles) for harp, Op. 67 (1973)
• Petite suite for harp, Op. 69 (1974)
• Cinque schizzetti for harp, Op. 82 (1977)

Organ

• Sonata, Op. 66 (1973)
• Secunda sonata, Op. 91 (1981)

Piano

• Preludes, Op. 7 (1925)
• Tien pianostukjes voor kinderen (10 Piano Pieces for Children), Op. 14 (1933)
• Epigrammen, Op. 17 (1938)
• Twaalf kinderstukjes (12 Pieces for Children), Op. 20 (1933)
• Sonatina No. 2 Miniatuur sonatine, Op. 23 (1942)
• Twee preludes (2 Preludes), Op. 27 (1944–1945)
• Sonatina No. 3, Op. 28 (1945)
• Drie kleine stukken (3 Little Pieces), Op. 34 (1952)
• Kerstliedje met vrije variaties, Op. 35 (1952)
• Sonatina No. 4, Op. 36 (1953)
• 5 Etudes-caprices, Op. 39 (1957)
• Deux hommages en forme d'étude, Op. 40 (1958)
• Tre pezzettini, Op. 42 (1958)
• Sonatina No. 5 voor de linkerhand (For the Left Hand), Op. 44 (1959)
• Vijf kleine stukjes (5 Little Pieces) for piano 4-hands, Op. 47 (1963)
• Drie Exempelkens, Op. 48 (1963–1965)
• Die drie boexkens van een magistercken, 3 Little Preludes, Op. 60 (1972)
• Sonatina No. 6, Op. 70 (1974)
• Sonatina No. 7 Uit 1920 en 1922, Op. 73 (1975)
• Sonatina No. 8 Sonatina capricciosa, Op. 78 (1975)
• Sonatina No. 9, Op. 84 (1978)
• Sonatina No. 10, Op. 90 (1981)
• Zes miniaturen (6 Miniatures) for piano (2- and 4-hand), Op. 92 (1981)
• Drie stukken (3 Pieces), Op. 93 (1981–1982)

Vocal

• Twee liederen (2 Songs) for voice and piano, Op. 16 (1934); words by Rainer Maria Rilke
• Nonnen-Klage for soprano and piano or orchestra, Op. 25 (1943); words by Rainer Maria Rilke
• Drie liederen (3 Songs) for soprano or tenor and piano, Op. 26 (1943); words by Rainer Maria Rilke
• Twee liederen (2 Songs) for soprano and piano, Op. 30 (1946–1947); words by Rainer Maria Rilke
• Twee liederen (2 Songs) for soprano and piano, Op. 33 (1950–1951); words by Rainer Maria Rilke
• Drie liederen (3 Songs) for soprano and piano, Op. 49 (1954–1965); words by E. L. Smelik
• Drie liederen (3 Songs) for soprano and piano, Op. 51 (1965); words by Rainer Maria Rilke
• Twee liederen (2 Songs) for soprano and piano, Op. 53 (1965); words by Rainer Maria Rilke
• Twee liederen (2 Songs) for baritone and piano, Op. 54 (1967); words by Rainer Maria Rilke
• Drie liederen (3 Songs) for soprano and piano, Op. 55 (1970); words by Rainer Maria Rilke
• Twee liederen (2 Songs) for bass-baritone and piano, Op. 56 (1971); words by Rainer Maria Rilke
• Trois chansonnettes for high voice and piano, Op. 58 (1971); words by Arthur Rimbaud
• Sept mélodies (7 Songs) for soprano and piano, Op. 61 (1972); words by Rainer Maria Rilke
• Quatre esquisses valaisannes for soprano and piano, Op. 62 (1972); words by Rainer Maria Rilke
• Six quatrains valaisans for soprano and piano, Op. 63 (1972); words by Rainer Maria Rilke
• Vier liederen, Op. 64 (1972); words by Martinus Nijhoff
• Neuf mélodies (9 Songs) for soprano and piano, Op. 65 (1973); words by Rainer Maria Rilke
• Une martyre for high voice and orchestra, Op. 71 (1974–1975); words by Charles Baudelaire
• Deux mélodies (2 Songs) for high voice and piano, Op. 72 (1975); words by Charles Baudelaire
• Drie liederen (3 Songs) for soprano and piano, Op. 74 (1975); words by Rainer Maria Rilke
• Vier liedjes (4 Songs) voor bariton en piano, Op. 75 (1975); words by J. C. Bloem
• Klein drieluik: twee kwatrijnen en een kort gedicht van A. Roland Holst for baritone and piano, Op. 77 (1975); words by Adriaan Roland Holst
• Vier liederen (4 Songs) for alto and piano, Op. 85 (1978)
• Vier liederen (4 Songs) for soprano and piano, Op. 86 (1980)
• Herfst (Autumn), 3 Short Songs for soprano and piano, Op. 87 (1980)
• Vijf Slauerhoff liederen (5 Slauerhoff Songs) for bariton and piano, Op. 94 (1982); words by J. Slauerhoff

External links

• Web site: Léon Orthel. Muziek Encyclopedie. Dutch. October 31, 2012.
• Web site: Wright. David C.F.. Leon Orthel. October 31, 2012. Contains partial worklist.

Notes and References

1. Web site: MusicSack: Léon Orthel. October 31, 2012.
2. re André/Andreas Petrus Spoor (1867  - 1929): Concertmaster of the Amsterdam Orchestra according to Boston Symphony Program notes for 1917  - 1918 about one of his other pupils, Sylvain Noack. Dates from MusicSack based on Altmann/Frank (1936) Kurzgefasstes Tonkunstler Lexikon : fur Musiker und Freunde der Musik.
3. Web site: Leon Orthel's 100th birthday. October 31, 2012.
4. Web site: List of Orchestral Works by Orthel, originally from Unsungcomposers.com. Dundonnell (nickname). October 31, 2012.
5. Web site: Orthel Biography. NMI. Dutch. August 10, 2014.
6. See the biography at the Muziek Encyclopedie page.
7. NMI manuscript request no. 278/095, 095C (full scores, 110pp., composed 1984 as dated by composer); 095A, B (cello/piano reductions), 095D (cello/piano manuscript copy, copyrighted by Donemus 1984).