Wagenaar, Johan

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Wagenaar, Johan

Wagenaar, Johan, distinguished Dutch organist, choral conductor, pedagogue, and composer, father of Bernard Wagenaar; b. Utrecht, Nov. 1, 1862; d. The Hague, June 17, 1941. He studied with Richard Hoi in Utrecht (1875-85) and with H. von Herzogenberg in Berlin (1889). From 1887 to 1904 he was director of the Utrecht Music School; he also was organist at the Cathedral (1887-1919). From 1919 to 1936 he was director of the Royal Cons, in The Hague.

Works

dramatic: Opera: De Doge van Venetie (1901; Utrecht, 1904); De Cid (1915; Utrecht, 1916); Jupiter Amans,burlesque opera (Scheveningen, 1925). ORCH.: 3 symphonic poems: Levenszomer (1901), Saul en David (1906), and Elverhoi (1939); 5 overtures: Koning Jan (1889), Cyrano de Bergerac (1905), De getemde feeks (1906), Driekoningenavond (1927), and De philosofische prinses (1931). OTHER: Numerous choral works; songs; organ pieces.

—Nicolas Slonimsky/Laura Kuhn/Dennis McIntire