Pieter Bustijn
Encyclopedia
Pieter Bustijn (also Pierre Bustyn or Pieter Buystijn) (baptized in 1649 – 22 November 1729) was a Dutch
composer, organist, harpsichordist and carillon
player of the Baroque
period.
Bustijn occupies a very minor place in music
literature: only one of his works, in fact, has been discovered, the IX Suittes pour le Clavessin. This work, one opus number
, was printed in Amsterdam
in 1712 by the famous publisher Estienne Roger
.
The reason for the lack of biographical details about Bustijn's life and music can be attributed to the loss of greater part of the Middelburg
archives in 1940.
, Belgium
even if there is not definitive proof that Pieter Bustijn was a descendant of this family.
in the late 17th and the early 18th century was in fact printed and therefore many of these works have been lost in the course of time. The Bustijn's suites offer us an amazing look of Dutch musical life during the Baroque period and they are of great importance on the history of keyboard music in the Netherlands. Even Bach had a copy of his work!
The printed edition of the Suites was very well known in the first half of the 18th century, enough to be cited in some catalogs as "The Hague" (1759). Even in an anthology of keyboard music, compiled by none other than Johann Gottfried Walther
(1684–1748), appeared the name of Bustijn alongside names such as Buxtehude, J.L. Krebs
, Bach
and the French Clérambault
and Nivers
.
According to historian Albert Clement
, the style of IX Suittes pour le Clavessin is placed between the works of earlier French masters and later German composers.
. One could hypothesize that Bustijn had some influence even on the greatest of composers of Baroque era.
Dutch people
The Dutch people are an ethnic group native to the Netherlands. They share a common culture and speak the Dutch language. Dutch people and their descendants are found in migrant communities worldwide, notably in Suriname, Chile, Brazil, Canada, Australia, South Africa, New Zealand, and the United...
composer, organist, harpsichordist and carillon
Carillon
A carillon is a musical instrument that is typically housed in a free-standing bell tower, or the belfry of a church or other municipal building. The instrument consists of at least 23 cast bronze, cup-shaped bells, which are played serially to play a melody, or sounded together to play a chord...
player of the Baroque
Baroque music
Baroque music describes a style of Western Classical music approximately extending from 1600 to 1760. This era follows the Renaissance and was followed in turn by the Classical era...
period.
Bustijn occupies a very minor place in music
Baroque music
Baroque music describes a style of Western Classical music approximately extending from 1600 to 1760. This era follows the Renaissance and was followed in turn by the Classical era...
literature: only one of his works, in fact, has been discovered, the IX Suittes pour le Clavessin. This work, one opus number
Opus number
An Opus number , pl. opera and opuses, abbreviated, sing. Op. and pl. Opp. refers to a number generally assigned by composers to an individual composition or set of compositions on publication, to help identify their works...
, was printed in Amsterdam
Amsterdam
Amsterdam is the largest city and the capital of the Netherlands. The current position of Amsterdam as capital city of the Kingdom of the Netherlands is governed by the constitution of August 24, 1815 and its successors. Amsterdam has a population of 783,364 within city limits, an urban population...
in 1712 by the famous publisher Estienne Roger
Estienne Roger
Estienne Roger was a francophone printer and publisher working in the Netherlands.-Life:...
.
The reason for the lack of biographical details about Bustijn's life and music can be attributed to the loss of greater part of the Middelburg
Middelburg
Middelburg is a municipality and a city in the south-western Netherlands and the capital of the province of Zeeland. It is situated in the Midden-Zeeland region. It has a population of about 48,000.- History of Middelburg :...
archives in 1940.
Family
The historian Mattheus Smallegange (1624–1710) in his Beschryving van den Zeelandschen Adel wrote that Bustijn was a family came from LiègeLiège
Liège is a major city and municipality of Belgium located in the province of Liège, of which it is the economic capital, in Wallonia, the French-speaking region of Belgium....
, Belgium
Belgium
Belgium , officially the Kingdom of Belgium, is a federal state in Western Europe. It is a founding member of the European Union and hosts the EU's headquarters, and those of several other major international organisations such as NATO.Belgium is also a member of, or affiliated to, many...
even if there is not definitive proof that Pieter Bustijn was a descendant of this family.
Duties
Pieter Bustijn assumed the role of organist and carillonneur in 1681, at the Nieuwe Kerk of Middleburg, after the death of Remigius Schrijver (possibly, his teacher).IX Suittes pour le Clavessin
The IX Suittes pour le Clavessin occupy a unique position in Dutch music history. Little music composed in the NetherlandsNetherlands
The Netherlands is a constituent country of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, located mainly in North-West Europe and with several islands in the Caribbean. Mainland Netherlands borders the North Sea to the north and west, Belgium to the south, and Germany to the east, and shares maritime borders...
in the late 17th and the early 18th century was in fact printed and therefore many of these works have been lost in the course of time. The Bustijn's suites offer us an amazing look of Dutch musical life during the Baroque period and they are of great importance on the history of keyboard music in the Netherlands. Even Bach had a copy of his work!
The printed edition of the Suites was very well known in the first half of the 18th century, enough to be cited in some catalogs as "The Hague" (1759). Even in an anthology of keyboard music, compiled by none other than Johann Gottfried Walther
Johann Gottfried Walther
Johann Gottfried Walther was a German music theorist, organist, composer, and lexicographer of the Baroque era.Walther was born at Erfurt...
(1684–1748), appeared the name of Bustijn alongside names such as Buxtehude, J.L. Krebs
Johann Ludwig Krebs
Johann Ludwig Krebs was a Rococo musician and composer primarily for the pipe organ.-Life:Krebs was born in 1713 in Buttelstedt, Germany to Johann Tobias Krebs, a well-known organist. J. Tobias had at least three sons who were considered musically talented, and J...
, Bach
Johann Sebastian Bach
Johann Sebastian Bach was a German composer, organist, harpsichordist, violist, and violinist whose sacred and secular works for choir, orchestra, and solo instruments drew together the strands of the Baroque period and brought it to its ultimate maturity...
and the French Clérambault
Louis-Nicolas Clérambault
Louis-Nicolas Clérambault was a French musician, best known as an organist and composer. He was born and died in Paris.-Biography:...
and Nivers
Guillaume-Gabriel Nivers
Guillaume-Gabriel Nivers was a French organist, composer and theorist. His first livre d'orgue is the earliest surviving collection with traditional French organ school forms...
.
According to historian Albert Clement
Albert Clement
Arie Albertus Clement is professor of musicology at the Roosevelt Academy, a small liberal arts college in Middelburg, the Netherlands.Albert Clement studied Musicology at Utrecht University Arie Albertus (Albert) Clement (born 9 August 1962, Middelburg) is professor of musicology at the...
, the style of IX Suittes pour le Clavessin is placed between the works of earlier French masters and later German composers.
Similarity with J.S.Bach compositions
The beginning of the Prelude of the Suitte VI (in a minor) is most identical with the theme of Praeambulum 6 (BWV 784) as well as the beginning of the Prelude of Suitte II (in D major) of the Dutch composer, is similar to the beginning of Fantasia BWV 787 (from Clavier-Büchlein vor Wilhelm Friedemann Bach, better known as Inventions and Sinfonias) of the genius of EisenachEisenach
Eisenach is a city in Thuringia, Germany. It is situated between the northern foothills of the Thuringian Forest and the Hainich National Park. Its population in 2006 was 43,626.-History:...
. One could hypothesize that Bustijn had some influence even on the greatest of composers of Baroque era.
Publications
- Pierre Bustyn, Exempla Musica Zelandica I, IX Suittes pour le Clavessin, Amsterdam ca. 1712 (reprinted Middelburg 1992), facsimile edition (Brussels, Royal Library Albert I, Fetis 2956 B Mus.), published by Koninklijk Zeeuwsch Genootschap der Wetenschapten.
Recordings
- Harpsichord in the Netherlands, Bob van AsperenBob van AsperenBob van Asperen is a harpsichordist, organist, conductor, clavichordist and early music-specialist.After completing a conventional music course at university, in 1967 he studied under the harpsichord master Gustav Leonhardt. In 1968 he joined the group Quadro Hotteterre, of which he was a member...
(SonySony, commonly referred to as Sony, is a Japanese multinational conglomerate corporation headquartered in Minato, Tokyo, Japan and the world's fifth largest media conglomerate measured by revenues....
B00000277E, 1991) - Recording of only Suitte No. 5 in g minor - Unico Van Wassenaer & Contemporaries, Jacques Ogg (Globe #5101, 1993) - Recording of only Suitte No. 6 in a minor
- Pieter Bustijn - Suittes pour le Clavessin, Alessandro Simonetto (OnClassicalOnClassicalOnClassical is a small Italian independent record label based in Pove del Grappa, Italy. It features classical music mostly for piano or chamber ensemble.- History :...
OC49B, 2011, also licensed for Brilliant Classics 94187, 2011) - Recording of all nine suittes
External links
- Pieter Bustijn: Suite No. 1 in d minor (video)