Van Schoor, Hendrik
Biografie
Evy De Smedt (translation: Jo Sneppe)
Hendrik Van Schoor took lessons at the Royal Conservatory of Antwerp with Emile Bosquet (piano), Arthur De Hovre (organ), August De Boeck (harmony) and Lodewijk Mortelmans (counterpoint and fugue). From 1914 on he was appointed there as teacher of solfège, counting among his pupils Denise Tolkowsky. In 1946 he was promoted to teaching harmony classes. In addition to his work as a teacher, Hendrik Van Schoor was also active as pianist, organist, choral conductor and composer.
As a composer Van Schoor was noticed above all for his song production, writing popular as well as classical songs, some of which were acclaimed. Emiel Hullebroeck for one wrote: “Pieces capturing moods so full of feelings and colours alike, such as Beautiful Night, are all too scarce in our Flemish music. It is a little jewel that each famous composer indeed would wish to sign”. About the religiously inspired Gezelle songs, Gebenedijd zijt Gij, O wonderlijk mysterie groot (Blessed are You, O wondrous great Mystery) and Gij die hebt den schat gevonden, (You who has found the Treasure) Hullebroeck wrote: "This work I count indubitably among the best in its genre that ever appeared in Flanders".
Van Schoor furthermore was keen on writing works for several voices as well, for instance Zang der zee (Song of the Sea) for four-part choir, on a text by Eugeen van Oye. Other examples are his Lentevreugd (Joy of Spring) for mixed choir and the motets Panis Angelicus and O Salutaris, for three similar voices accompanied by organ, strings, woods and horn. An exceptional work in Van Schoor's oeuvre is the lyrical Nativity play Pax from 1920, on a text by Jef Crick, for mixed choir, children's choir and orchestra. Lambrecht Lambrechts in a review of this work wrote: "In my opinion Van Schoor's music, which plays an important part in Pax, is not likely to disappear in the paperboards soon. His art is always sober and distinguished. His craft may be called virtually flawless. He has thoroughly studied the modern masters, and yet it transpires that he is closer to the classics".
Besides songs and choral music Van Schoor also wrote several piano and organ works, such as Mazurka, Idylle en Kleine suite for clavier. For the violin he composed the work Caprice.
Bibliografie
Anderen over deze componist
- Bosmans, V.: Liedkunst op teksten van Gezelle: Hendrik Van Schoor (1881-1954), in: SVM Nieuwsbrief nr. 47, juli 2006.
- De Bakker, H. en Van Ryckeghem, A.: Hendrik Van Schoor, in: Woorden worden klanken, Deerlijk, 2003, p. 148-149.
- De Ridder, E.: Hendrik Van Schoor, in: Muziek-Warande, jrg. 4, nr. 6, 1 juni 1925, p. 121-123.
- De Schrijver, K.: Schoor, Hendrik A. van, in: Bibliografie der Belgische toonkunstenaars sedert 1800, Leuven, 1958, p. 98.
- Documentatiemap Hendrik Van Schoor, AMVC Letterenhuis, Antwerpen.
- Levaux, T.: Van Schoor Hendrik, in: Dictionnaire des compositeurs de Belge du moyen âge à nos jours, Ohain-Lasne, 2006, p. 670.
- Robijns, J. en Zijlstra, M.: Van Schoor, Hendrik, in: Algemene Muziek Encyclopedie, dl. 9, Haarlem, 1983, p. 96.
- Roquet, F.: Van Schoor, Hendrik Oscar, in: Lexicon Vlaamse componisten geboren na 1800, Roeselare, 2007, p. 834.
- Werda, C. en Ghesquiere, R.: Van Schoor, Hendrik, in: Muzikaal handwoordenboek, Turnhout, z.j., p. 221.
Historische teksten
Hendrik Van Schoor
Dien naam heeft de lezer voorzeker al op sommige programma's aangetroffen, zonder nochtans bij zulk een vluchtige kennismaking - in vele gevallen althans - een degelijk beeld van zijn waarde en zijn beteekenis te kunnen vormen. Door het verscheidene, wat den toehoorder op de meeste muziekavonden geboden wordt, en door het ver uiteen liggende van wat er gemusiceerd wordt, boeten de toevallige medewerkers-toondichters ieder algauw wat van hun eigen zijn en kunnen in, en van hun werk straalt niet die machtige indruk uit, welke moet gewekt en mag verwacht worden.