Description
For over 400 years, the glockenspiel has been a folk music instrument, especially in the Netherlands, which has survived to this day. In many towns there is still the “stadsbeiaardier”, the carillonneur employed by the town, whose melodies fill the squares at weekends and on market days.
Rarity of historical collections
However, there are only three surviving collections of music for this instrument. Apart from mechanically played bells, these include works by Berkhuis, Matthias van der Gheyn and Joannes de Gruijtters.
From the manuscript of the Antwerp town carillonneur Joannes de Gruijtters (1709 – 1772), the author has selected 59 of the pieces notated for two voices for this edition in “Joannes de Gruijtters 1746”. These pieces were often used as memory aids and were not intended for widespread publication, which explains their rarity and special value today.
Guide to authentic interpretation
The ornaments given in the original manuscript are explained in detail with examples of how to play them. This allows you to play the music authentically and refine your interpretations.
The very beautiful melodies in “Joannes de Gruijtters 1746” are suitable for playing on all melody instruments, but also for drone instruments such as bagpipes and hurdy-gurdy. They offer a flexible application for a wide range of musical instruments and thus expand the possible uses of these historical pieces.
The book is illustrated with numerous drawings by the author. These illustrations not only enrich the visual experience, but also provide insight into the artistic interpretation of the music and its time.
Author and illustrator
Rolf Janssen, who selected, edited and illustrated the pieces on the basis of a facsimile edition, was born in the Netherlands and has been studying the traditional music of his homeland for many years, about which he has published several books and collections of sheet music. His in-depth knowledge and passion for traditional music give this work an authentic voice. He has lived as an art teacher and freelance artist since 1985. His artistic and musical skills flow into every detail of this carefully curated collection “Joannes de Gruijtters 1746”.
Musical details
The melodies in “Joannes de Gruijtters 1746” are andantes, minuets, marches, gigues, contra dances and other melodies that do not go beyond the range of an octave, or only slightly. This variety allows musicians of different skill levels to explore and enjoy the pieces. They are usually left in the original key and notated in C or G major. This preserves the historical character of the music and at the same time offers an accessible form for musicians. The basso continuo, or accompanying part, is given an octave higher for ease of reading. This practical adaptation makes the notes easier to read and easier to play together.
Invitation to musical discovery
“Joannes de Gruijtters 1746” invites you to become part of a musical tradition that is deeply rooted in European culture. This collection is not only a testimony to musical history, but also offers a unique opportunity to experience and interpret the diversity and beauty of 18th century music. Take the opportunity to expand your musical skills and experience historical music authentically.
Foreword
For over four hundred years, the glockenspiel, “de beiaard”, has been a folk music instrument, especially in the Netherlands, which has survived to this day. Many towns still have their “stadsbeiaardier”, the carillonneur employed by the town. At weekends, during market days and during the vacations, you can enjoy the sounds of old and new tunes everywhere.
From this one could conclude that there is enough recorded music to trace the development of popular tunes over time. However, this is not the case. If we disregard the literature for mechanically played bells, there are essentially only three surviving collections with handwritten music for this instrument: the Berkhuis collection (Delft, late 18th, early 19th century), the work of Matthias van der Gheyn (1721 – 1785) and the collection of the Antwerp town carillonneur Joannes de Gruijtters (1709 – 1772).
The two-part pieces compiled in this edition come from the latter. The reason why so few manuscripts have survived the passage of time is perhaps due to the fact that many of the handwritten notes probably served merely as a memory aid for the respective player and were hardly given any greater value. In any case, it would have been easy to find a publisher for his music at the time, as the publishing industry was flourishing in cities such as Antwerp and Amsterdam, and with it the publication of books in every field, especially music.
It was also common practice to improvise on well-known and popular melodies. Because of their brevity, simple, popular tunes were very suitable for this purpose. A more or less free second voice, or bass part, was placed under the melodic line, which could change according to the possibilities of the player or the instrument. Several of the pieces notated in these manuscripts can also be found in other collections, usually in a slightly modified form.
It should also be noted that the oral tradition of musical heritage was still very much alive well into this century. Culture was still fundamentally something other than an ‘easily digestible’ mass product that is consumed and forgotten just as quickly as it is produced. Between 1976 and 1984 I was able to record over 1000 songs and dances, mostly from older people, which have been passed down through the generations and are therefore still part of an unbroken tradition.
Author:in
Rolf Janssen
Rolf Janssen (born 1954) studied art at the ‘Akade-mie voor beeldende Vorming’ in Tilburg, Netherlands. He began playing recorders in 1960 and has since expanded his range of instruments with gemshorns, curved horns, cornamuses, ocarinas, logs and bagpipes.
‘nightingale’ his first radio recording with mainly his own songs. During and after his time at the academy, he played in the group ‘Fluitekruid’, with whom he recorded his first LP in 1979.
Many articles, record reviews, lectures and radio recordings were dedicated to traditional music between 1976 and 1986. After years of field research, in 1984 he published the book ‘We hebben gezongen en niks gehad’ with orally transmitted songs and biographies of old street musicians.
Further recordings, also as a guest musician, followed.
His group ‘Doedelier’ released the LP ‘In beweging’ in 1985.
He has been a member of the Stuttgart group ‘Spielleut’ since 1985.
He now lives in Tübingen as an art teacher and freelance artist. His paintings can be found in many public and private collections in Germany and abroad.
