Electronic Frequencies

Hans van Eck is one of the founders of the Schreck-Ensemble, where he plays an important role as the artistic leader and sound-director of the ensemble. He received his formal training in Electronic Music from Jaap Vink and G.M. Koenig at the Institute of Sonology, and studied Musicology with Ton de Leeuw, prof. Frits Noske and dr. Leigh Landy at the University of Amsterdam. He graduated cum laude on a thesis about Johann Jacob Froberger. Hans van Eck got private lessons in Compositional Techniques from Daan Manneke.

From 1976 on he composes music for different scoring of instruments sometimes in combination with electronic sounds as well as pure electronic music. His works are played a.o. in ‘Muziekgebouw aan ‘t IJ’, ‘Het Stedelijk Museum Amsterdam’, ‘Muziekcentrum Vredenburg’ in The Netherlands, and in Germany (LŸneburg), Italy (Rome, Sassari), Spain (Granada, Sevilla), Denmark, Poland, Lithuania, Rumania and Brazil. Performed by his own Schreck Ensemble, the Aquarius Ensemble conducted by Lucas Vis and others.

He was the sound-director at the In Situ -project ‘Klanken verbeeld, Beelden verklankt’ in the Castle Eijsden, in Eijsden near Maastricht. His large-scale music theatre work Nuctemeron is played many times in the period 2000 – 2010.

As producer/recording-technician/composer he collaborated with Hans van Koolwijk in the realisation of the CD Bambuso Sonoro. He has become a regular guest at Van Koolwijk’s projects.

Hans van Eck is one of the developers of the BassBox on which he performs regularly. He is also the main performer on Hans van Koolwijks Eckoo.

1/ De droom van Hatiem – Hans van Eck. 20:16.
2/ Nuctemeron Transition3 Uur5-6 – Hans van Eck. 13:39.
3/ Doorschemering – Hans van Eck. 16:21.
with Pauline Post
4/ Nuctemeron Uur11 – Hans van Eck. 07:41.
with Charles Neidich
5/ PorcelainConstruction – Hans van Eck. 20:17.

“Music is basically the art of listening”

The art of music arises from the digestion of sounds in the ears and minds of the listener. In the chain of creation the the composer is only one facet, the performer and listener play just as important a role. In my opinion this is even more true when timbre is used as the most important carrier of meaning.

Thoroughly educated in the music of the Western classical tradition, I added new viewpoints to my art. From my musical hero’s Giacinto Scelsi and Luigi Nono as well as from music from the Far-East (Japanese Gagaku) I learned to work with the basics of sound. Studying compositions by Claude Vivier and the music of the Near East taught me about the use of melodic lyricism and the expressiveness of micro-tones.

In the late 1990’s I became interested in sound-art after meeting the visual and sound artist Hans van Koolwijk. For some of his installations I provided compositional elements and timing, sometimes resulting in many hours of music as in the 12 hour ‘Passages’: the music for the ‘Klankkaatser’ (Sound Reverberator 2010). Our collaboration led to the development and building of new musical instruments for which I composed many pieces; the most prominent for the BassBoxes.

The magic of sounds is for me the most important aspect of music. The foremost goal of my compositions is to make the listener experience sounds as they are, taking him beyond the surface of the music. My musical style might be described as lyrical and colourful. The use of live electronics and soundtracks is so integrated in my way of making music that I cannot do without it.

I co-founded the Schreck Ensemble with the late Arie van Schutterhoef in 1989 in order to perform music that combines the use of acoustic instruments with the new sounds offered by modern computer technology. My music is published by Donemus, Amsterdam and can be found on the Internet: http://www.free-scores.nl/Hans_van_Eck

Data:
Hans van Eck is one of the founders of the Schreck-Ensemble , where he plays an important role as the artistic leader and sound-director of the ensemble.
He received his formal training in Electronic Music from Jaap Vink and G.M. Koenig at the Institute of Sonology, and studied Musicology with Ton de Leeuw, prof. Frits Noske and dr. Leigh Landy at the University of Amsterdam. He graduated cum laude on a thesis about Johann Jacob Froberger. Hans van Eck got private lessons in Compositional Techniques from Daan Manneke.

From 1976 on he composes music for different scoring of instruments sometimes in combination with electronic sounds as well as pure electronic music. His works are played a.o. in ‘Muziekgebouw aan ‘t IJ’, ‘Het Stedelijk Museum Amsterdam’, ‘Muziekcentrum Vredenburg’ in The Netherlands, and in Germany (Lüneburg), Italy (Rome, Sassari), Spain (Granada, Sevilla), Denmark, Poland, Lithuania, Romania and Brazil. Performed by his own Schreck Ensemble, the Aquarius Ensemble conducted by Lucas Vis and others. He was the sound-director at the In Situ -project ‘Klanken verbeeld, Beelden verklankt’ in the Castle Eijsden, in Eijsden near Maastricht. His large-scale music theatre work Nuctemeron is played many times in the period 2000 – 2010. In 2012 the concert version of this work was recorded and published by the Belgium ‘Sub Rosa’ – label. This recording gained many favorable reviews.
As producer/recording-technician/composer he collaborated with Hans van Koolwijk in the realisation of the CD Bambuso Sonoro. He has become a regular guest at Van Koolwijk’s projects.

Hans van Eck is one of the developers of the BassBox on which he performs regularly. He is also the main performer on Hans van Koolwijk’s Eckoo.

The press on Hans van Eck:
The great gain of this release …. is that after the death of Bruynel the Netherlands has again gained a fascinating composer in a genre that deserves much more attention.
(Emanuel Overbeeke in Luister)

Im Mittelpunkt steht die Violine, gespielt von Tiziana Pintus. Mit vollem und klarem Ton interagiert sie mit Sopran, Klarinette und Elektronik. Jede Bewegung wirkt bis ins letzte Detail durchgeplant. Eine Strenge und mathematische Präzision bestimmen den Sound. Unsauberkeiten, wie sie etwa in Nonos Stück auftreten können, sind nicht erwünscht.

(Raphael Smarzoch in Neue Zeitung für Musik)
Major Works:
Instrumental music
-6 Haiku s voor Piano (piano) ♫
-Drei Klavierstücke (piano)
-Gymnopedie (piano)
-Bagatelli (piano)
-Sonatine (piano)
-Voor het Afscheid (piano)
-De Onthulling (piano)
-Haiku’s (soprano, piano)
-Little Poem (flute, piano)
-Study (bassclarinet, piano)
-Strijkkwartet (stringquartet)
-Oh deep silence (soprano, piano)
-Music for street percussion
-Ante Lucem (soprano, accordion, percussion)
-Sonata (violoncello, piano)
-Rite (violin, clarinet, percussion and organ)
-Scene pour instrument a battre (percussion ensemble)
-Shadows I, II, III (accordion-quintet)
-For the Goodbye (saxophone, accordion)
-Incantatio I – III (I and III flute-solo, II bass-clarinet solo) ♫
-Dansiare (clarinet or saxophone)
-Schakeringen (accordion)
-Sonatina (baritone-saxophone, piano)
-Prologue, Intermezzo, Epilogue (violoncello)
-Reflexions of Remembrances (flute)
-Confrontations (7 trombones)
-Miniatures (stringquartet)
-7 Haiku’s for Orchestra

Electronic music:
Tape music
-Fantasia I ‘Mythologique’ ♫
-Fantasia III ‘Monument voor een goede vriend’ ♫
-Aeterna ♫
-Bagatelle Serieuse ♫
-The dream of Hatiem ♫
-Walking Shadows ♫
-Openings 1/2 ♪ ♪
-Transgression 1/2 ♪ ♪
-Endings ♫
-Endless Ends ♫
-Bythos
-Porcelain Construction

Mixed works
-Fantasia II (violin, tape)
-Fantasia IV ‘The Earth’ (bass-clarinet, tape) ♫
-The Androgyne, Fate of the Androgyne (soprano, tape)
-Wire Movements (bass-clarinet and optional live-electronics)
-Assumptio (bass-clarinet, live-electronics, tapes) ♫
-Poemi Eterni (violin, live-electronics) ♫
-Nuctemeron (soprano, mezzo-soprano, violin, contrabass-, bass-, alto-, b-flat clarinet, stratifier, percussion, live-electronics and tapes) ♫
-Nuctemeron –(shortened version for soprano, violin, bass-, alto-, b-flat clarinet, stratifier, percussion, live-electronics and tapes)
-Werkelijke Wereld (piano and live-electronics)
-Doorschemering (piano, sound tracks)
-Statement (violin, sound tracks and live-electronics)
-Miniatures (violin and live-electronics)
-Herinnering (violin, soprano, organ, live-electronics and fixed media)
-Flügeln (soprano, bass clarinet and live-electronics)
-Stations (flute, live-electronics and Geluidmachine)

Works for new instruments:
for the BassBox ♫
-Rivieren
-House
-Chaotische Slinger
-Complexie
-Snellers
-Slaap
-Zindering
-Diepe Deining
-Geschut Ritme
-Reizend Ritme
-Diesels
-Dromerige Nachtmerrie

for the Eckoo ♫
-Eersteling
-Brug (Eckoo and Bambuso Sonoro)

for the Klankkaatser (the ‘Geluidmachine’)
-Passages ♫

for the Bambuso Sonoro and Gamelan
-Kleur door Tonen ♫
-Ruimte voor Harmonie
-Kleppering
-Lied van Harmonie en Kleur