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Dina AppeldornDutch composer and pianist
Date of Birth: 26.12.1884
Country:  Netherlands |
Content:
- Biography of Dina Appeldorn
- Early Career and Compositions
- Hymns and Choral Works
- Esperanto and Patriotic Works
- Death
Biography of Dina Appeldorn
Dina Appeldorn, a Dutch composer and pianist, was born on December 26, 1884, in Rotterdam, Netherlands. She studied composition at the Royal Conservatory of The Hague under the guidance of F.E.A. Koeberg, and later her teacher was Johan Wagenaar. Wagenaar became her close friend, and Appeldorn sought his advice throughout her life. She completed her conservatory education in 1910, and by that time, around 20 of her songs were already published. Her early works received mixed reviews from Dutch music critics, including her piece "Frissche bloemen," which, however, received more positive reviews than negative ones. Later, Appeldorn became a piano teacher at the Royal Conservatory of The Hague.
Early Career and Compositions
After receiving her education, Appeldorn began her career as a concert pianist and worked with various choirs in The Hague. Eventually, she found greater fulfillment in the field of composition. Many of her early songs were first performed by a quintet she co-founded with Lena van Diggelen. One of the performers who favored the works of the Dutch composer was Julie de Stuers, who gave several concerts outside the Netherlands. Appeldorn dedicated her composition "Vondel-liederen" to Stuers. In 1912, the Utrecht City Orchestra premiered her first major work, the symphonic poem "Pêcheurs d'Islande." In 1923, her composition "Jubileum-lied," dedicated to Queen Wilhelmina of the Netherlands on her 25th anniversary, received an award. In 1925, the Utrecht City Orchestra performed another of Appeldorn's works, "Noordzee-symfonie."
Hymns and Choral Works
During the 1920s, Appeldorn also composed choral works for popular singing evenings organized by the Dutch Association for Folk Singing, conducted by Arnold Spoel. Some of her choral pieces were performed by the male royal choir "Die Haghe Sanghers" in the 1930s, including "Het Zwervers' Lied." In 1934, Appeldorn found a devoted supporter in Eduard Flipse, the conductor of the Rotterdam Philharmonic Orchestra. Flipse promoted her works within the musical community, and his orchestra performed her composition "Blijspel-ouverture."
Esperanto and Patriotic Works
Appeldorn was involved in the Esperanto movement in the 1930s and wrote a significant number of songs in the planned language. She also gained some recognition as the author of patriotic works, such as "Hollansche Overture" and "Loflied aan Nederland." Most of her compositions, including the two symphonic poems "Noordzee-symfonie" and "Volkfeest," were in a romantic style. In addition to romanticism, Appeldorn had a fondness for programmatic music, as evidenced by her four-part suite "Woudsproke." For amateur singers and choirs, Appeldorn composed in a lively manner, using simple tonal melodies and syllabic poetic speech. On the other hand, her own piano playing was filled with piquant harmonies and dissonances, vividly illustrated in "Frissche bloemen."
