Willem van Otterloo - Suite for String Orchestra - 1. Musette

Willem van Otterloo (1907-1978)

Suite for String Orchestra (1931)

Netherlands Radio Chamber Orchestra
Conductor: Micha Hamel

Dedicated to the Utrechtsch Studenten Concert


Willem van Otterloo was a Dutch conductor and composer. He first studied medicine in Utrecht, then the cello under Orobio de Castro and composition under Sem Dresden at the Amsterdam Conservatory. While engaged as a cellist with the Utrecht City Orchestra his Suite no.3 won a prize offered by the Concertgebouw Orchestra, and its first performance brought about his conducting début with that orchestra in 1932. The next year he was appointed assistant conductor at Utrecht, and joint chief conductor with Carl Schuricht in 1937. In 1949 he became conductor of the Residentie-Orkest, The Hague, a post he held until 1973; his technique and keen feeling for orchestral capacity brought the orchestra to an international standard and he conducted it on numerous recordings (mostly in the 1950s), some of which received international awards. Admired for his reliable and sensitive performances in works by contemporary composers as well as the standard repertory, he also conducted leading orchestras in other countries and in 1971 was appointed conductor of the Sydney PO, returning to Europe in 1974 to become general music director at Düsseldorf. He was an accomplished composer; his works include a symphony, three suites for orchestra, Symphonietta for 16 wind instruments, Seranade (Divertimento) for brass orchestra, harp, celesta and percussion, Five Sketches for string orchestra, Intrada for brass instruments, double bassoon and percussion, and Introduction and Allegro for orchestra (which won high praise for its originality and beauty), as well as a string trio and an (unpublished) string quartet. He was a Knight of the Order of the Nederlandse Leeuw.

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