Willem van Hoogstraten
Encyclopedia
Willem van Hoogstraten was a Dutch
violin
ist and conductor
.
Van Hoogstraten was born in Utrecht
, Netherlands
, and studied the violin from age eight including studies with Alexander Schmuller, and enrolled at the conservatory in Cologne
, Germany
at age sixteen where he studied with Bram Eldering. He also studied violin with Otakar Ševcik in Prague
.
He began his career as the conductor at a health resort, and then conducted the orchestra at Kleefeld 1914-1918.
He was married for sixteen years, from 1911-1927, to the pianist Elly Ney
. They met in 1907 at the conservatory in Cologne where Ney was a teacher. They traveled throughout Europe performing chamber music, recruiting cellist Fritz Reitz to form a trio. They made their home at Tutzing
on the Starnberger See. The two recorded the final three Beethoven piano concertos together for Colosseum Records. A daughter was born to them, the actress Eleonore van Hoogstraten. The couple divorced in 1927.
Van Hoogstraten conducted a Brahms festival in Vienna
, Austria
, and the Mozart festival in Salzburg
, as well as guest conducting throughout Europe. He conducted the New York Philharmonic
at the Lewisohn Stadium
summer concert series from 1922 to 1939 where he was also served as associate conductor from 1923 to 1925. At the Lewisohn, in 1927 he conducted NYPhil playing Rhapsody in Blue and Concerto in F with George Gershwin
as soloist. Van Hoogstraten was appointed by the Philharmonic Society to serve as director of the orchestra between Josef Stransky
and Willem Mengelberg
, serving half of the orchestra's season until Mengelberg was available.
Van Hoogstraten was appointed music director of the Oregon Symphony
after the untimely death of Theodore Spiering
in 1925, where he served for thirteen seasons. From 1939 to 1945, he was permanent conductor of the Mozarteum Salzburg.
Van Hoogstraten died in 1964 in Tutzing
, Germany
, and is buried there with his ex-wife, Elly Ney, at Neuer Friedhof.
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...
violin
Violin
The violin is a string instrument, usually with four strings tuned in perfect fifths. It is the smallest, highest-pitched member of the violin family of string instruments, which includes the viola and cello....
ist and conductor
Conducting
Conducting is the art of directing a musical performance by way of visible gestures. The primary duties of the conductor are to unify performers, set the tempo, execute clear preparations and beats, and to listen critically and shape the sound of the ensemble...
.
Van Hoogstraten was born in Utrecht
Utrecht (city)
Utrecht city and municipality is the capital and most populous city of the Dutch province of Utrecht. It is located in the eastern corner of the Randstad conurbation, and is the fourth largest city of the Netherlands with a population of 312,634 on 1 Jan 2011.Utrecht's ancient city centre features...
, Netherlands
Netherlands
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...
, and studied the violin from age eight including studies with Alexander Schmuller, and enrolled at the conservatory in Cologne
Cologne
Cologne is Germany's fourth-largest city , and is the largest city both in the Germany Federal State of North Rhine-Westphalia and within the Rhine-Ruhr Metropolitan Area, one of the major European metropolitan areas with more than ten million inhabitants.Cologne is located on both sides of the...
, Germany
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
at age sixteen where he studied with Bram Eldering. He also studied violin with Otakar Ševcik in Prague
Prague
Prague is the capital and largest city of the Czech Republic. Situated in the north-west of the country on the Vltava river, the city is home to about 1.3 million people, while its metropolitan area is estimated to have a population of over 2.3 million...
.
He began his career as the conductor at a health resort, and then conducted the orchestra at Kleefeld 1914-1918.
He was married for sixteen years, from 1911-1927, to the pianist Elly Ney
Elly Ney
Elly Ney was a German romantic pianist who specialized in Beethoven, and was especially popular in Germany....
. They met in 1907 at the conservatory in Cologne where Ney was a teacher. They traveled throughout Europe performing chamber music, recruiting cellist Fritz Reitz to form a trio. They made their home at Tutzing
Tutzing
Tutzing is a municipality in the district of Starnberg in Bavaria, Germany and is situated on the west bank of the Starnberger See south of Munich...
on the Starnberger See. The two recorded the final three Beethoven piano concertos together for Colosseum Records. A daughter was born to them, the actress Eleonore van Hoogstraten. The couple divorced in 1927.
Van Hoogstraten conducted a Brahms festival in Vienna
Vienna
Vienna is the capital and largest city of the Republic of Austria and one of the nine states of Austria. Vienna is Austria's primary city, with a population of about 1.723 million , and is by far the largest city in Austria, as well as its cultural, economic, and political centre...
, Austria
Austria
Austria , officially the Republic of Austria , is a landlocked country of roughly 8.4 million people in Central Europe. It is bordered by the Czech Republic and Germany to the north, Slovakia and Hungary to the east, Slovenia and Italy to the south, and Switzerland and Liechtenstein to the...
, and the Mozart festival in Salzburg
Salzburg
-Population development:In 1935, the population significantly increased when Salzburg absorbed adjacent municipalities. After World War II, numerous refugees found a new home in the city. New residential space was created for American soldiers of the postwar Occupation, and could be used for...
, as well as guest conducting throughout Europe. He conducted the New York Philharmonic
New York Philharmonic
The New York Philharmonic is a symphony orchestra based in New York City in the United States. It is one of the American orchestras commonly referred to as the "Big Five"...
at the Lewisohn Stadium
Lewisohn Stadium
Lewisohn Stadium was an amphitheater and athletic facility built on the campus of the City College of New York. It opened in 1915 and was demolished in 1973.-History:...
summer concert series from 1922 to 1939 where he was also served as associate conductor from 1923 to 1925. At the Lewisohn, in 1927 he conducted NYPhil playing Rhapsody in Blue and Concerto in F with George Gershwin
George Gershwin
George Gershwin was an American composer and pianist. Gershwin's compositions spanned both popular and classical genres, and his most popular melodies are widely known...
as soloist. Van Hoogstraten was appointed by the Philharmonic Society to serve as director of the orchestra between Josef Stransky
Josef Stránský
Josef Stransky was a Czech conductor, composer, and art collector/dealer who moved to the United States and conducted the New York Philharmonic from 1911 to 1923.-Biography:...
and Willem Mengelberg
Willem Mengelberg
Joseph Willem Mengelberg was a Dutch conductor, famous for his performances of Mahler and Strauss with the Concertgebouw Orchestra.- Biography :...
, serving half of the orchestra's season until Mengelberg was available.
Van Hoogstraten was appointed music director of the Oregon Symphony
Oregon Symphony
The Oregon Symphony is an American orchestra based in Portland, Oregon. Founded as the Portland Symphony Society in 1896, it is the sixth oldest orchestra in the United States, and oldest in the Western United States...
after the untimely death of Theodore Spiering
Theodore Spiering
Theodore Bernays Spiering was an American violinist, conductor and teacher.Spiering was born in Old North St. Louis, Missouri, where at age five he took his first lessons in violin from his father, concertmaster of the St. Louis Symphony Orchestra. He made his first public appearance at age seven...
in 1925, where he served for thirteen seasons. From 1939 to 1945, he was permanent conductor of the Mozarteum Salzburg.
Van Hoogstraten died in 1964 in Tutzing
Tutzing
Tutzing is a municipality in the district of Starnberg in Bavaria, Germany and is situated on the west bank of the Starnberger See south of Munich...
, Germany
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
, and is buried there with his ex-wife, Elly Ney, at Neuer Friedhof.