Piet Kee

The Dutch organist and composer Pieter William Kee was born in Zaandam, Netherlands on August 30, 1927. He studied organ, piano and composition at the Amsterdam Conservatory, obtaining the Prix d'Excellence, and won first prize at the annual Haarlem International Improvisation Competition three times in succession (1953 to 1955). This was the start of a worldwide career as a concert organist.

He taught at the Music Lyceum and Sweelinck Conservatory in Amsterdam from 1954 until 1988, and at the Haarlem International Summer Academy for Organists. He was organist of the Hagerbeer-Schnitger organ in [http://www.albany.edu/piporg-l/alkmaar1.html St. Laurens] church in Alkmaar from 1952 to 1987, and city organist of the world famous Müller organ at [http://www.bavo.nl/bladen/orgelengels.htm St. Bavo church] in Haarlem from 1956 until 1989.

His improvisation skills are renowned (see Additional Compositions below). His compositions now include the "Haarlem Concerto", which received its first performance by Thomas Trotter in March 2006.

His numerous recordings, several of which received awards, include a series of CDs on the Chandos label, covering the repertoire from Sweelinck to Messiaen and recorded on important European historical instruments.

Compositions

The list below is selective. Publishers include [http://www.baerenreiter.com Bärenreiter-Verlag] (B), [http://www.donemus.nl Donemus] (D), Harmonia (H), Hinrichsen/Peters (HP) and [http://www.muziekhandel-boeijenga.nl Boeijenga Music Publications] (BO).

Organ

* Triptych on Psalm 86 (1960) (HP)
* Two Organ Pieces (1962) (HP):"Fantasia on "Wachet Auf":"Passion Choral"
* Four Pieces for Manuals (1966) (B):"Praeludium":"Ciacona":"Choral "Aus tiefer Not schrei ich zu dir" Audio|Aus-tiefer-2.ogg|listen ( [http://www.sawyermusic.co.uk Philip Sawyer] at St. Laurenskerk, Rotterdam):"Epilog"
* Intrada for two organs on "Erschienen ist der herrlich Tag" (BO)
* Gedenck-Clanck 76 - Ode to Valerius based on 3 Dutch songs (1976) (H)
* Bios - in seven movements (1995) (B)
* The Organ - inspired by paintings of Pieter Saenredam (2000) (B)
* Cervus - for organ or harmonium (2006)
* Seventy Chords for Ewald - originally published in "Essays in Honor of Ewald Kooiman" (2008) (BO)

Organ with other instruments

* Music and Space - for two organs, three trumpets and two trombones (1969) (D)
* Confrontation - for church organ and three street organs (1979)
* Network - for main organ plus small organ or electronic keyboard, alto saxophone and soprano recorder (1996) (B)
* Festival Spirit - for main organ and four positiv or box organs, commissioned for performance by jury members of the [http://www.organfestival.com/ St. Albans International Organ Festival] competition, UK (2001)
* Bios II - for organ, solo violin and percussion (2002)
* Haarlem Concerto - for organ and orchestra (symphonic wind ensemble, an alto and tenor saxophone, double basses, percussion and harmonium) (2005) (D)

Additional Compositions

* The World - a mini oratorio using a text of Henry Vaughan for mixed choir, four vocal soloists (SATB) and ad libitum continuo instrument (1999) (B)
* Heaven - an echo fantasy using a text of George Herbert for unaccompanied mixed choir and two echo sopranos (2000) (B)
* Frans Hals Suite for carillon (1990) (D):"Luidstuk (Ringing Piece)":"Sarabande voor Judith Leyster":"Frans Hals Toccata"
* Daaaee for carillon (1999)
* Flight - flute solo (1992) (D)
* Opstreek (Up-bow) - for violin and piano (1997)
* Winds - for reed quintet (2000)

* Improvisations - none transcribed, but the improvisation in the final of the 1953 Haarlem Organ Improvisation Competition, a Sonata in three movements, is available for listening from the NCRV archives. The contestants were Paul Barras, Anton Heiller, Piet Kee (winner), Matthieu Prange and Karl Richter.

See the

Listen to the archived performances: [http://orgelconcerten.ncrv.nl/ncrv?nav=vlsiuCsHtGAiBzBeBX Anton Heiller] (includes playing of the themes), [http://orgelconcerten.ncrv.nl/ncrv?nav=domguCsHtGAiBzBeBaE Piet Kee] and [http://orgelconcerten.ncrv.nl/ncrv?nav=looluCsHtGAiBzBeBgD Karl Richter]

Discography

Earlier recordings, released since 1954, can be found on the Telefunken, HMV, Philips and Guild labels.

Starting in 1989 Piet Kee made a series of eleven recordings for [http://www.chandos.net/ Chandos] , including works of Sweelinck, Pachelbel, Bruhns, Buxtehude, Bach, Walther, Mendelssohn, Franck, Alain, Reger, Hindemith, Andriessen and Messiaen on notable European instruments including St. Bavo Haarlem, St. Laurens Alkmaar, Roskilde Cathedral Denmark, Basilika Weingarten, Martini Church Groningen and the Concertgebouw in Amsterdam. Several of these recordings are now available as MP3 downloads.

Writings

* The Secrets of Bach's Passacaglia - Musik und Kirche, 52 (1982) and 53 (1983). Also [http://thediapason.com/ The Diapason] , June, July, August and September 1983.
* Astronomy in Buxtehude's Passacaglia - Ars Organi (1984), Reprinted in Organist's Review, August 2007.
* Number and Symbolism in the Passacaglia and Ciacona - Musik und Kirche, May 1988. Also John Loosemore Association 1988 (ISBN 1-871179-01-7)
* Haydn's Last Symphony: Input from London? - [http://www.musicaltimes.co.uk The Musical Times] , vol.147 no.1897 (Winter 2006), pp.57-62

Recordings of Piet Kee's Compositions

* Tryptich on Psalm 86 - Jos van der Kooy, St. Bavo church, Haarlem, "Orgels in Nederland 2005", box 2, CD no. 8.
* Fantasia on Wachet auf and Choral on Aus tiefer Not - Piet Kee, St. Bavo church, Haarlem, Guild Records LP GRSP 7014, Xenophone CD 885220.
* Gedenck-Clanck 76 - Piet Kee, Sint Laurenskerk Alkmaar, Guild Records LP GRSP 7017, Wisp CD 25962.
* Confrontation - Philips LP 6410 767.
* Frans Hals Suite - Arie Abbenes, Carillon of Domkerk Utrecht, "Dutch Compositions for Carillon", issued by [http://www.klokkenspelvereniging.nl/ Utrechtse Klokkenspel Vereniging] .
* Bell Extravaganza : Ringing Piece from Frans Hals Suite - Adrian Tien, National Carillon Canberra, Move Records MD 3224.
* The Organ - Jos van der Kooy, St. Bavo Haarlem, "New Music for the Müller Organ", [http://www.etcetera-records.nl Etcetera] KTC 1364.
* Cervus - Jos van der Kooy, Philharmonie, Haarlem, Tulip Records (for release in September 2008).
* Intrada for two organs on "Erschienen ist der herrlich Tag" - Bert Lassing and Marco bij de Vaate, Grotekerk, Culemborg.
* Intrada and Seventy Chords for two organs - Jos van der Kooy and Olja Buco, Westerkerk, Amsterdam, Tulip Records (for release in 2008).

ources

Sadie, S. (ed.) (1980) "The New Grove Dictionary of Music & Musicians", [vol. # 9] .

External links

* [http://www.donemus.nl/componist.php?id=462&tab=conc Donemus] - the Dutch institution for contemporary music, with a listing of upcoming live performances of works by Piet Kee.
* [http://www.scotsorgan.org.uk/sfo-07.htm Scottish Federation of Organists News] , Issue 10, January 2008 - an article entitled "Piet Kee in conversation with Philip Sawyer", which includes details of his recordings and compositions, and also recordings of his compositions. (This article is also published in the May 2008 issue of Organists' Review.)
* [http://www.choirandorgan.com/ Choir & Organ] magazine - an interview with Piet Kee in the November/December 2006 issue.
* [http://orgelconcerten.ncrv.nl/ncrv?nav=jlvbuCsHtGAiBzB NCRV] - Dutch Radio Association, providing archive material including the improvisations by Piet Kee and others for the 1953 Haarlem Improvisation Competition.
* [http://www.hetorgel.nl/ Het Orgel] - Dutch organ magazine with summaries in English and useful links.