Jacob ter Veldhuis
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I love it. Garden of Love is my favorite of his Ghetto-blaster music, but I enjoy grab it as well (especially the version for guitar!). Tallahatchie Concerto though... Now, there is a wonderful piece of music!! I could listen to Arno play that all day long.
Steve P
Steve P
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85 Posts
I love his music, and his philosophy. I've recently written a paper (for amusicology class) on him and his works, mainly focusing on Grab It! Here is some information on the JacobTV (from my paper) and why I enjoy him/his music/his philosophy;
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The aim of JacobTV’s music is to stimulate the listener’s emotions, not the intellect, like so many contemporary composers strive to do. Unlike his peers, he does not believe his music must be a juxtaposition of so many notes, rhythms, and melodies. He strongly believes that music must not be thought up, rather it must simply be made.
Two major themes may be found in JacobTV’s works. “Some works have a worldly, at times even cynical component: they illuminate day-to-day reality, with the accent on transience, loss, the sordid fringe of society. On the other side of the coin, some of Ter Veldhuis’ works present an elaborate verison of Heaven, with all its appropriate associations and implications.”
The first theme is clearly evident in a number of the composer’s “Ghettoblaster/boombox” works. May this Bliss Never End, cello, piano and ghettoblaster, uses samples from famous trumpeter Chet Baker, in which he details his rough life as both artist and junkie; Pitch Black, for saxophone quartet and ghettoblaster, is a sequel to May this Bliss never End, and like its predecessor, includes samples from Chet Baker in which he details his time in prison. Other works following this theme include Heartbreakers, which is comprised of samples from TV talk shows, Lipstick, which focuses on samples that concern relationships coming to an end, and finally Gulf War, which is samples of soldiers testimonials concerning the Gulf War.
The best example of the second theme can be found in JacobTV’s “video oratorio,” Paradiso, written for soprano, tenor, sampler, female choir and orchestra. This multimedia feature is based upon Dante’s Divine Comedy and is JacobTV’s way of opposing the doom and damnation that most contemporary artists focus upon. (ON A SIDE NOTE, HIS CONCERTO FOR SAXOPHONE AND ORCHESTRA FITS INTO THIS SECOND CATEGORY)
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I could go on and on, and post more, but I'm sure you all do not want to read this paper. Anyways, I think he is a composer with a true voice of his own. I regard his music the way he views it, as "avant-pop."
Concerning Grab It!, once you understand the message behind the work, I do not understand how a performer or an audience could react negative to it. Most of the professors that I contacted (Hemke, Sinta, Romain, Frigo) reacted very positive to his works, granted, I did not hear from Rousseau or Otis. The only negative response to this work came from my professor. Regardless, YOU HAVE a reaction to his work, normally a strong one, you either love his stuff or hate it, in my opinion. I think his music is thought provoking...personally, the first time I heard one of his works, I KNEW I needed to learn more about him.
Enough of me rambling...I'm interested in hearing everyone else's views on what you think of him/his work, but specifically on Grab It!
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The aim of JacobTV’s music is to stimulate the listener’s emotions, not the intellect, like so many contemporary composers strive to do. Unlike his peers, he does not believe his music must be a juxtaposition of so many notes, rhythms, and melodies. He strongly believes that music must not be thought up, rather it must simply be made.
Two major themes may be found in JacobTV’s works. “Some works have a worldly, at times even cynical component: they illuminate day-to-day reality, with the accent on transience, loss, the sordid fringe of society. On the other side of the coin, some of Ter Veldhuis’ works present an elaborate verison of Heaven, with all its appropriate associations and implications.”
The first theme is clearly evident in a number of the composer’s “Ghettoblaster/boombox” works. May this Bliss Never End, cello, piano and ghettoblaster, uses samples from famous trumpeter Chet Baker, in which he details his rough life as both artist and junkie; Pitch Black, for saxophone quartet and ghettoblaster, is a sequel to May this Bliss never End, and like its predecessor, includes samples from Chet Baker in which he details his time in prison. Other works following this theme include Heartbreakers, which is comprised of samples from TV talk shows, Lipstick, which focuses on samples that concern relationships coming to an end, and finally Gulf War, which is samples of soldiers testimonials concerning the Gulf War.
The best example of the second theme can be found in JacobTV’s “video oratorio,” Paradiso, written for soprano, tenor, sampler, female choir and orchestra. This multimedia feature is based upon Dante’s Divine Comedy and is JacobTV’s way of opposing the doom and damnation that most contemporary artists focus upon. (ON A SIDE NOTE, HIS CONCERTO FOR SAXOPHONE AND ORCHESTRA FITS INTO THIS SECOND CATEGORY)
----------------------------------
I could go on and on, and post more, but I'm sure you all do not want to read this paper. Anyways, I think he is a composer with a true voice of his own. I regard his music the way he views it, as "avant-pop."
Concerning Grab It!, once you understand the message behind the work, I do not understand how a performer or an audience could react negative to it. Most of the professors that I contacted (Hemke, Sinta, Romain, Frigo) reacted very positive to his works, granted, I did not hear from Rousseau or Otis. The only negative response to this work came from my professor. Regardless, YOU HAVE a reaction to his work, normally a strong one, you either love his stuff or hate it, in my opinion. I think his music is thought provoking...personally, the first time I heard one of his works, I KNEW I needed to learn more about him.
Enough of me rambling...I'm interested in hearing everyone else's views on what you think of him/his work, but specifically on Grab It!
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133 Posts
TV's great. I was rocking out to Bornkamps recording of Grab It! last night. Good stuff...
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3,302 Posts
Jay already knows my thoughts on this, but Arno's Montreal premiere of Grab It! at the WSC in 2000 was explosive, and is firmly etched in my memory. I probably wouldn't program an entire recital of Jacob's work--or maybe I would--but it reflects our time and culture in a very unique way, and I've seen the music connect with all kinds of concert-goers in a way that some of our repertoire fails to do.
I'm an absolutely huge fan of him. Everything I've ever heard of his has just blown me away. I don't know if there's a single piece I don't like written by him. I tried to share him with my professor, but she doesn't like anything he's done. haha. It's so funny to see how much different she and I are. I completely agree with the hate it or love it statement. It seems like there's no in between with his writing.
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2,095 Posts
PRISM does this all-Veldhuis saxophone music concert which I attended in Philadelphia a year and a half ago. I took a composer friend with me, and we were talking about it the whole way home to Pittsburgh (6 hrs) that night. Jesus Is Coming was fantastic, and Tim McAllister was at his best demigod self playing Garden of Love. The whole concert was phenomenal -- the audience was very enthusiastic (it was in a church).drakesaxprof said:
You play your *** off -- you can do this. Your performance of Grab It is very very good. I would like to hear you play Billie and Garden at least.
Angel
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3,302 Posts
You're right! I need to work these up, and have been in contact with Connie about his new piece, Buku. Have you heard it yet, by any chance? The references to Bird, Cannonball, and Art Pepper have me interested.Angel said:
JR
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2,095 Posts
I heard Bornkamp play Buku at U. of Tennessee in Knoxville last fall, and then when I found out he'd be in Atlanta a few days later, I saw him do it there too. Really good piece -- very exciting, well put together. Buku has much less interplay between spoken word and saxo than his other solo boombox stuff, but the samples of the jazz saxophonists are done very well. In some places, I would imagine it's like playing in a pre-recorded saxophone quartet with 3 jazz legends.
Angel
Angel
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19 Posts
A month ago I heard Prism do the whole sequence again, this time accompanied by a quartet of dancers. The dance really added to the music. My friend (an amateur saxophonist) who came with me to the concert had never heard ter Veldhuis before and said she loved the music. It was truly a stunning performance, or, more appropriately, grabbing.
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31 Posts
I think a lot of his compositions have very strong material in them. I spoke to a composer friend of mine who brought him over to the UK for some workshops and he says Jakob really believes passionately in what he's doing. So like it or not, at least it's sincere and has some intention beyond mere entertainment. My friends and I talked to Jakob at the WSC and he was a really nice guy too.
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1,009 Posts
Have you guys seen this video of Grab It!?
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252 Posts
Hi all,
I've tried JTV's website to get my hands on "Billie," but I got a mailing error in return. Busted email address, maybe?
Any other leads as to where I can get my hands on his work?
Thanks in advance...
I've tried JTV's website to get my hands on "Billie," but I got a mailing error in return. Busted email address, maybe?
Any other leads as to where I can get my hands on his work?
Thanks in advance...
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3,302 Posts
JTV Scores
I don't think that Connie would mind me posting the info here. Order directly from her. You can email her at [email protected]
I believe that the solo scores are $50 plus $5 or so S&H.
Connie Frigo
523 N. Bertrand Street, Unit 301
Knoxville, TN 37917
With the check, include a note that lists what piece(s) you are ordering and to what address I should send the music.
Within two days of receiving your check, I will mail the piece to you.
Thanks for your interest in Jacob's music. Enjoy!
Connie
I don't think that Connie would mind me posting the info here. Order directly from her. You can email her at [email protected]
I believe that the solo scores are $50 plus $5 or so S&H.
Connie Frigo
523 N. Bertrand Street, Unit 301
Knoxville, TN 37917
With the check, include a note that lists what piece(s) you are ordering and to what address I should send the music.
Within two days of receiving your check, I will mail the piece to you.
Thanks for your interest in Jacob's music. Enjoy!
Connie
Joined
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133 Posts
I heard Prof. Sullivan play "Billie" last year at the Region 7 conference...Great piece, great presentation, and beautiful interpretation!
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