Canto Ostinato

A metaphor in sound for the core values of humanity

To claim that it is impossible to imagine Dutch musical life without Canto Ostinato (1973-79) by Simeon Ten Holt (1923-2012) is to state the obvious. Not only are concert performances of it eagerly attended, but so-called ligconcerten — in which audience members can listen stretched out on a mattress that they have brought along, and where a large number of these enthusiasts actually want to lie under the grand pianos — have also become a recurrent phenomenon. The exceptional popularity of Canto Ostinato (originally conceived for four pianos, but also often performed on fewer instruments and available in numerous arrangements including one for symphony orchestra by Anthony Fiumara) evokes varied reactions. Indeed, Simeon Ten Holt himself could not quite understand why the public had taken Canto Ostinato in particular so much to heart, although he naturally thoroughly enjoyed the piece’s unprecedented success. It is now not only fifty years since Ten Holt began work on what is indisputably the most popular composition in 20th-century Dutch music but also a full century since Ten Holt’s birthday; we can now take advantage of the occasion to consider what exactly might be the reason for Canto Ostinato’s remarkable popularity.

Simeonkwartet
Founded in 1996, the Simeonkwartet, named after composer Simeon Ten Holt, is a Dutch piano quartet, focusing on performing the major compositions by Simeon Ten Holt for multiple pianos, such as Canto Ostinato (1973-79), Lemniscaat (1983), Horizon (1985) and Meandres (1999). The Simeonkwartet plays the Canto Ostinato annually in the Buitensociëteit in the city of Zutphen, accompanied by light effects by Mark Hengeveld, and has also performed Ten Holt’s most famous piece in Germany and Romania. In their performances of Ten Holt’s compositions, the members of the Simeonkwartet play on straight strung grand pianos by Chris Maene. Three of Simeonkwartet’s members also teach piano in Zutphen. Emile Engel is a versatile musician, conducting several choirs alongside playing piano, and is also involved in the bi-annual Beethoven Festival Zutphen. Cathelijne Maat, a graduate from the Arnhem ArtEZ conservatory and the ‘Conservatoire Russe’ in Paris, performs as a lied accompanist and as a chamber music pianist. As a soloist, she performed Mozart’s Piano Concerto no.20 (K.466) and Gershwin’s Rhapsody in blue with several orchestras. Both Emile Engel and Cathelijne Maat are on staff at the Zutphen Pianoschool. Esther Scheerder also teaches in Zutphen. A graduate from the Enschede ArtEZ conservatory, she took lessons with Simeon Ten Holt for two years and also performed with him, playing Ten Holt’s Natalon in E, with Ten Holt introducing it. Next to his frequent appearances as a lied accompanist and as a chamber music player, Jacobus den Herder has made a name for himself as an arranger. He has arranged Schubert’s Winter Journey and the Requiem by Fauré for several ensembles. At the special request of the composer, he also arranged the Requiem by Willem Jeths.