Andriessen, Louis: Hadewijch (De Materie part II) (1988) 29'
for soprano, 8 voices and large ensemble

Music Text  
Hadewijch's Seventh Vision, from 'Het Visionenboek van Hadewych' (Dutch)

Scoring
Solo S-2S.2A.2T.2B 3.2.2corA.5.2bcl.dbcl.0-4.4.4.1-bass gtr-perc(5):glsp/t.bells/vib/ 7gongs/snare dr/guiro/string dr/large rattle/large slapstick/bell tree/tam-t-harp-2pft-2synth-2gtr-strings(2.2.2.2.1) Ensemble should be balanced by electronic amplification.
Abbreviations (PDF).

Territory
This work is available from Boosey & Hawkes for the world.

World Premiere
6/1/1989
Muziektheater, Amsterdam
Wendy Hill, soprano / Materie Orkest / Reinbert de Leeuw


Composer's Notes  
Hadewijch is the second part of the large four-section work De Materie (Matter) but can also be performed independently.

The text is one of the visions of Hadewijch, a 13th-century Dutch mystic poetess, and expresses her passionate vision, both spiritual and erotic, of union with Him.

The composition is organised to mirror the architectural plan of the cathedral of Reims in France. The intervals of time between the chords of the pianos, tuned percussion and guitars, which ring through the canvas at set points, have the same proportional relationship as the distance in space between the cathedral’s pillars.

Louis Andriessen

Reproduction Rights
This programme note can be reproduced free of charge in concert programmes with a credit to the composer

Press Quotes  
"What is impressive about Hadewijch is its real sense of musical depth and substance... its wonderfully coloured and subtly varied harmonic chimings, and a kind of long-drawn diatonic melodic innocence..." Musical Times