Panorama De Leeuw

In the 1980’s Reinbert de Leeuw became more known both nationally and internationally and he was very successful, partly because of his Schönberg Ensemble. In 1986, he and several other ensembles started the fruitful series ‘Proms in Paradiso’, which still exist today, but is now known at the ‘Donderdagavondserie’ at the Muziekgebouw aan ’t IJ in Amsterdam.

Through time, De Leeuw almost became an inescapable in the Dutch art world. In the seventies, he fought for better funding for composers and was successful, with the founding of the Fonds voor de Scheppende Toonkunst (Fund for Creative Music) in 1982 as his crowning glory. His efforts were also partly responsible for better funding for small, specialized ensembles.

In 1989 his ‘power’ was questioned by a collection by the ‘Cultural elite’ of the Netherlands, that looked at the power structures of the music world. Author Luc Knödler discovered that the Schönberg Ensemble is solely responsible for squandering a third of the chamber music budget. The article ruffled a lot of feathers, mainly lashing back at the author.

Five years later, a new struggle rears his head, this time concerning the Fonds voor de Scheppende Toonkunst. Composers that write more traditional music complain the avant-gardists De Leeuw has surrounded himself with are unevenly compenstated by the fund. This is denied on all fronts. In 2006 De Boer asked to be subsided for his serial composition ‘Bubbles’ which is based on random notes from his sons. He was praised and received his check.

1. Klaas de Vries: …sub nocte per umbras…

Schönberg Ensemble / Reinbert de Leeuw

2. Ed de Boer: from Symphony no. 1: part 1

Radio Philharmonic Orchestra / Kenneth Montgomery

3. Ed de Boer: Bubbles

Midi version

Compilation, host and recording: Thea Derks

Thea Derks is following the musical career of Reinbert de Leeuw by means of her biography Reinbert de Leeuw, mens of melodie

Tf you purchase the biography using this link you will support the Concertzender at no extra costs.