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Louis Andriessen, “De Stijl / M is for Man, Music, Mozart”

By admin_mike In

Louis Andriessen, De Stijl / M is for Man, Music, Mozart, released 1994 by Elektra Nonesuch

De Stijl (1984-5), performed by the Schoenberg Ensemble with the Asko Ensemble; Reinbert de Leeuw, conductor, Gertrude Thoma, voice

De Stijl is a musical portrait of painter Piet Mondrian, named for an artistic movement and publication on which Mondrian was a key influence. Heavily influenced by the jazz that he was apparently quite fond of, the piece sandwiches writings from De Stijl around an account of Mondrian by one of his friends.

Ivesian and Cubist in its construction, the ensemble is split into three parts, each seemingly doing their own thing and only occasionally intersecting: the piano and electric bass play a catchy, funky riff; brass occasionally interject with outbursts that recall big band music; and the chorus and accompanying brass float on top of them, singing a dreamy, ethereal chorale[1] – all accompanied by a set of drums that keeps switching allegiances. Even though all three groups are usually in different keys, their parts are meticulously constructed in such a way to make the clash of harmonies sound ebullient and joyful rather than cacophonous.

De Stijl is in a loose ABA form. The first part begins with a triumphant brass fanfare, which serves as a kind of rondo-esque focal point throughout the piece, bringing the different parts of the orchestra back into line – and allowing us to get our bearings as well. After the opening statement, the three sections begin their game of bumper cars. This eventually calms down into a vamp, over which a narrator speaks[2] the aforementioned account. It sounds a bit dated and stilted now, but it’s still charming. After the rap, a truncated recapitulation of the A section ends the piece.

Rhythmic, propulsive, funky, and often surprisingly lovely, De Stijl is a fun, raucous piece, a delight to listen to all around.
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M is for Man, Music, Mozart (1991), performed by the Orkest de Volharding; Jurjen Hempel, conductor
Astrid Seriese, voice

1. The Alphabet Song
2. Instrumental I
3. The Vesalius Song
4. Instrumental II
5. The Schultz Song
6. Instrumental III
7. The Eisenstein Song

Another sort-of portrait, M is for Man, Music, Mozart was part of a collaboration between Louis Andriessen and filmmaker Peter Greenaway to commemorate the 200th anniversary of Mozart’s death. I haven’t seen the film, so all I can talk about is the music.

Four songs alternate with three instrumentals, all of which seem heavily influenced by musical theater, and are full of both obvious and subtle references to Mozart’s music and compositional style. Again, Andriessen makes extensive use of brass[3].

I find it really difficult to judge this piece, because on this recording, the songs seem deliberately sung in as grating, nasal, and shrill a manner as possible. If that was done without Andriessen’s direction, then I feel the need to reserve judgement on the piece, since it’s the recording rather than the piece I can’t stand. If that style of singing was encouraged by Andriessen, then whatever its other musical merits, I hate the piece because I’m forced to hate the singer.
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(1) It’s like what would happen if the sung parts of De Staat were hijacked by Duke Ellington and Billy Strayhorn.

(2) “Raps”, even.

(3) Using brass strikes me as odd because I consider them the orchestral instrument least suited for minimalist music; they’re the least agile and precise family of instruments, and require the most breath. Nevertheless, Andriessen loves to use brass, and is more than able to overcome what I see as their limitations. Perhaps that’s why I’m not famous.