Classical music
Like its German neighbor, the Netherlands is a country that loves classical music. That said, unlike the latter, the former has made only a minor contribution to musical history. This doesn't mean that the country doesn't have quality ensembles and concert halls - quite the contrary. And it certainly doesn't mean that the Netherlands hasn't had interesting or talented composers down the ages. Although largely unknown outside their borders, here are a few names that have had a profound impact on Dutch musical composition.
In the 17th century, one of the country's leading figures was Jan Pieterszoon Sweelinck (1562-1621), a composer who straddled the late Renaissance and early Baroque periods, and was always highly regarded for the rhythmic complexity of his compositions.
At the same time, carillonneur, organist, flutist and composer Jacob van Eyck (1590-1657) was one of the most famous Dutch musicians of his time.
In the 18th century, at the height of the Baroque reign, Pieter Hellendaal (1721-1799) was the only Dutch composer to be known outside the Netherlands. In the following century, it was Johannes Verhulst (1816-1891) who distinguished himself in a style close to that of Robert Schumann. Highly influential in his day, he remains one of the country's best-loved composers.
At the crossroads between the 19th and 20th centuries, we find Henriette Bosmans (1895-1952), a pianist and composer who was renowned during her lifetime but never made it to posterity (both her eventful life and her work merit study), and Alphons Diepenbrock (1862-1921). A friend of Mahler, Strauss and Schoenberg, Diepenbrock created a musical language of his own, nourished by 16th-century polyphony and Wagnerian and Debussy influences.
The twentieth century saw the emergence of Willem Pijper (1894-1947), widely regarded as one of the leading figures of modern Dutch music. Initially influenced by late German Romanticism and Mahler in particular, Pijper turned his attention to atonal music after the Great War. Avant-garde without losing any of his emotional force, Pijper was a true seminal figure. This also applies to the other great name in Dutch composition: Louis Andriessen (1939-2021). A great avant-gardist, he deconstructed the musical language of his time and established himself as a pioneer of serialism in the Netherlands - with Series in 1958, and Nocturnen in 1959 - before becoming one of the main standard-bearers of the minimalist movement. One of his close friends and disciples is none other than Michel van der Aa, a composer much in demand for his stagings and themes relating to the ego, the human and the machine, and so on.
While composers are rarely known outside the Netherlands, conductors are known all over the world. The most famous of these was, of course, the great Bernard Haitink (1929-2021). An absolute master of the Romantic symphonic repertoire, he conducted the Amsterdam Concertgebouw Orchestra for twenty-seven years, the London Philharmonic Orchestra, the Dresden Staatskapelle and the Chicago Symphony Orchestra (alongside Pierre Boulez). Excellent in Beethoven, Brahms and Mahler, he remains a benchmark for many young conductors and music lovers alike. Jaap van Zweden is another remarkable, albeit more discreet, conductor of the New York Philharmonic, where he puts the subtlety and precision of his style to good use. Jaap van Zweden is also the first conductor to have led the two Dutch piano prodigies, brothers Lucas & Arthur Jussen, in 2006, when they were just 10 and 13 years old. All the more impressive given that the scene was the Concertgebouw, the temple of classical music. The world's best concert hall for many music lovers, the venue has built up an international reputation for its neo-classical beauty, perfect acoustics and exceptional programming. Above all, it is home to the Royal Netherlands Orchestra, one of the most prestigious in the world, renowned for its dazzling interpretations, and whose list of conductors is dizzying: Haitink, Chailly, Jansons, Daniele Gatti... Classical music lovers agree: you haven't really visited Amsterdam if you haven't heard anything at the Concertgebouw. Lyric art lovers, on the other hand, can find a few wonders in the Muziektheater 's program. The only opera house in the Netherlands, this gigantic complex (1,600 seats) with perfect acoustics is one of those buildings that locals love to hate. The reason? Its austere architecture by the "pragmatic modernist" Wilhelm Holzbauer. The Muziektheater is the home of DNO (De Nederlandse Opera), a company which, under the impetus of Pierre Audi - its audacious artistic director for thirty years - has taken on an international dimension. Contemporary reinterpretations of the classics, openness to other arts and a strong emphasis on innovation are the three pillars of DNO's staging. In mid-August, music lovers won't want to miss the GrachtenFestival ("Canal Festival"), which puts classical music in the spotlight at the same time every year with some 250 concerts and celebrations all over the city - including on boats and canal banks - often for a derisory price (sometimes for nothing). One of the sweetest ways to enjoy the capital. But the latter doesn't have a monopoly on the classic. Somewhat in the shadow of its Amsterdam cousin, the Rotterdams Philharmonisch Orkest is also of excellent quality. This is confirmed by the prestigious list of directors - James Conlon, Jeffrey Tate, Valery Gergiev, Yannick Nézet-Séguin... - as well as by the quality of the recordings. The ensemble performs at De Doelen, a vast musical complex that has become a not-to-be-missed venue over the years.
Jazz
Thanks to the North Sea Jazz Festival, one of Europe's biggest jazz events, held annually in Rotterdam since 1976, the Netherlands has, over the past forty years, played host to the world's crème de la crème of the genre. Emboldened by the contact with these many stars, the Dutch jazz scene has gradually acquired a number of fine names with solid reputations. These include Misha Mengelberg, a pianist close to Fluxus and collaborator of Derek Bailey and Eric Dolphy, and drummer Han Bennink, a leading figure in free jazz. Willem Breuker is a key figure in the international development of Dutch jazz. An iconoclastic, avant-garde saxophonist, this prolific composer left his mark on the European avant-garde with a style that embraced both traditional and learned music. He worked for a time with percussionist Pierre Courbois, a pioneer of local free jazz and a leading figure in his field. Today, Dutch jazz often climbs to the top of the sales charts, driven by great female voices: Caro Emerald, world star, Fay Claassen, multi-award winner or Denise Jannah, signed to Blue Note - the world's most prestigious jazz label. Amsterdam is essentially a city of jazz. Perhaps it's the fog by day or the neon lights reflecting off the cobblestones at night. But the streets of Amsterdam exude a gentle spleen that is highly conducive to jazz. It's no coincidence that the capital offers so many places where you can sample it live. The least intimate but most impressive is undoubtedly Bimhuis. Opened in 2005 and located in the ultra-contemporary Muziekgebouw complex, this house of all things jazz nevertheless has a soft spot for avant-garde and improvisation. A more classic option for getting away from the touristy Leidseplein is the Jazz Café Alto, where you're guaranteed to hear live jazz (often easy listening). Last but not least, close to the University, nestles "Engelbewaarder", a cosy little literary café with a view, where you can lose yourself in free jazz and heated chatter. In Rotterdam, the best addresses are Jazzcafé Dizzy, a troquet and jazz club featuring the best artists of the moment, and Lantaren Venster, a cinema and jazz concert venue.
Current music
Unsurprisingly, the young Dutch creative scene is booming, with many contemporary artists shining internationally. The most obvious example is Altin Gün, an Amsterdam-based "Anatolian pop" group. Hailing from the Turkish diaspora, its members take the great pop and psychedelic rock standards listened to by their parents and grandparents and give them a modern interpretation. But they are far from alone: Jacco Gardner and his baroque pop, Thomas Azier and his mysterious pop, Rimon, the Dutch Jorja Smith, Gaidaa, rising soul star, Sevdaliza, total electronic artist worthy heiress of Bjork or De Ambassade, post-punk in the tradition of the cult The Ex are just a few examples of the hyperactivity of the local scene.
The Netherlands also has a rather copious hip-hop scene. Lil' Kleine and Ronnie Flex are well known here, since their hit Drank & Drugs amused many a Frenchman (the track's producer is nicknamed "Jack $hirak", proving that our presidents inspire rappers the world over). But the country also appreciates Boef, a Franco-Dutch MC born in Aubervilliers who preferred to establish his career in the Netherlands (and rightly so, as he's very successful there), Ali B, who composed the official song of the Dutch team for the 2006 World Cup, as well as Sevn Alias, Josylvio and Bizzey, who are among the hottest rappers on the scene.
But if there's one field in which the Netherlands excels, it's electronic music. In fact, the first album of electronic music ever recorded was by a Dutch pioneer, Dick Raaijmakers (1930-2013), better known (if little-known) as Kid Baltan. In the mid-1950s, he composed Song of the Second Moon and Colonel Bogey, two all-electronic nuggets.
Since then, the country has been collecting champions of the genre: synth prodigy Legowelt, Tom Trago, San Proper, Upsammy, Coco Bryce and her highly respected London jungle and Fatima Yamaha, names that techno and house clubs and festivals are snapping up. Like Berlin, Amsterdam is the world capital of techno and other electronic music. Here, the most amazing (and coolest) place to listen to electronic music is De School, a former technical school that has become THE temple of the discipline. Off-center in the west of the capital, this brutalist gem is worth a visit for its refined programming, its love of design and its raw, arty, very Berlin atmosphere. A unique experience at any time of day or night, as the venue is licensed 24 hours a day. In Amsterdam Noord, the place to be is NSDM, a former naval district converted into a creative underground village. Here, you'll come across local nightlife stalwarts such as Pllek, an ex-hangar turned bar and club with its feet in the sand, and Garage noord. Also located on the north bank of the IJ, this small but arty space hosts pocket parties as intimate as they are underground. Otherwise, nestled in the center of town is a little nugget: OT301. A former squat turned artistic platform, OT301 has retained its libertarian spirit - avant-garde programming and free prices - while becoming a staple of the Amsterdam nightlife scene. And then, of course, there's the Dekmantel festival, which takes place every year in Amsterdam's inner suburbs, inviting the best of the electronic underground for several days at a time.
Theater and dance
In the common imagination, dance in the Netherlands is a pas de deux between the hyper-contemporary Nederlands Dans Theater in The Hague and the very classical Dutch National Ballet in Amsterdam. If that was once true, it's less and less so. Under the impetus of Ted Brandsen, director since 2012, the Dutch National Ballet takes a very modern look at classical works (around two to three ballets a year). The company is now considered one of the top five in the world. This marvel is housed in the Muziektheater, one of Europe's largest and most sumptuous theaters, where you can also enjoy performances by the National Opera. Before Brandsen, three other great names in Dutch choreography propelled the Dutch National Ballet to international prominence in the second half of the 20th century: Toer van Schayk, Rudi van Dantzig and Hans van Manen. Toer van Schayk is a jack-of-all-trades: dancer, choreographer, set designer, costume designer, painter and sculptor. As a dancer, his eloquent and profound interpretations have made him one of the country's most popular soloists. As a choreographer, he has developed a singular dance vocabulary. The second, Rudi van Dantzig, combined classical and modern dance to create a new language. A formula that attracted the great Rudolf Nureev, with whom he lived an artistic and friendly adventure. The third, Hans van Manen, is undoubtedly the best-known of all. This great master of choreography is often celebrated, even in France. Apart from Amsterdam's Nationale Opera & Ballet, a very good dance venue in the country is Theater Rotterdam, where a famous local company, Scapino Rotterdam, regularly performs. And every July, the Julidans festival welcomes companies from all over the world to the capital.
