At this point, it would only be fair to call Dutch composer and conductor Johan de Meij “the Dutch King of program music.” Widely known to audiences for his 1988 Symphony No. 1 The Lord of the Rings, De Meij now presents CASANOVA, the complete recording of his compositions and transcriptions for cello and wind orchestra.
Today, Johan is our featured artist in the “Inside Story,” a blog series exploring the inner workings and personalities of our composers and performers. Read on to learn about his dream collaboration with Paul McCartney, and the brass band performance he witnessed as a child that kick started his musical trajectory…
What have been your biggest inspirations on your musical journey?
My professional career as a trombone player started on May 1, 1977. During these 5 1/2 decades, I have been inspired by my fellow musicians, conductors, and composers. The majority of those composers are no longer with us, unfortunately. But many of the classical composers have been an inspiration for me, and they still are! My top 10 favorites composers are:
This list is far from complete, there are many other composers that have been very inspirational to me.
If you could collaborate with anyone, who would it be?
If I could collaborate with anyone, my choice would be Paul McCartney. I truly admire this man’s musicality, his genius, and his modesty. Despite his incredible fame, he still seems to be a nice and wonderful person.
Take us on a walk through your musical library. What record gets the most plays? Are there any “deep cuts” that you particularly enjoy?
My musical library is quite large, but I actually almost never play music at home, only in the car! But to name my favorites works, they would be The Rite of Spring by Igor Stravinsky, The ballet Romeo & Juliet by Sergei Prokofiev, and the musical West Side Story by Leonard Bernstein.
What were your first musical experiences?
My first musical experiences were an open air concert by a brass band from New Zealand when I was about 9 years old. My mother took me there, it was in a park in the small village where she was born and raised, and I was blown away by the sound — not knowing that I would become a brass player myself all my life!
Another unforgettable experience was to hear the famous trumpet player Maurice André live in The Hague, playing concertos by Tartini and Albinoni. What also made a big impact was an LP with the brass players of three major American Orchestras playing the music by Giovanni Gabrieli, which I still love today.
Where and when are you at your most creative?
I get more and more creative and inventive when I am way into a new piece. When I have to start a new work, that’s usually a struggle, but once I have some good material, then the inspiration kicks in.
Johan de Meij, world-renowned award-winning composer and conductor of Dutch descent has built an impressive oeuvre over the last four decades. His creations have been performed by the world’s top orchestras such as the Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra, the London Symphony Orchestra, and the New York Philharmonic. His orchestral catalogue includes five symphonies, nine major solo concertos and a wide variety of smaller works. His Symphony No.1 The Lord of the Rings (1988), having marked its 35th year in 2023, has become a classic in the orchestra repertoire, and is one of the most performed works in the literature.
