A Tribute To Oscar van Hemel features Muriël van Hemel, Frans Douwe Slot and the van Hemel Ensemble. Muriël van Hemel (violin) founded the van Hemel Ensemble to bring her grandfather’s chamber music back into the spotlight. She is getting to know him better as a person through his music because, unfortunately, Muriël hardly got to know him in real life.

This album is available today in Stereo and 5.1 Channel Surround Sound DSD exclusively at NativeDSD. Plus Auro3D 5.1.4 Channel Immersive Surround Sound 96k FLAC. It is not available on SACD.

Oscar van Hemel was among the most performed Dutch composers in the years 1935–1970. He received several awards for his work and his violin concertos were performed by well-known soloists such as Theo Olof and Herman Krebbers with the Concertgebouw Orchestra. Van Hemel was a moderately modern composer who used classical musical forms combined with atonal harmonies and melodies. He applied the twelve-tone technique, bitonality, “germ cell technique” and serialism but continued to strive to captivate his audience through lyricism. In the First Violin Concerto, for instance, the orchestration is particularly colorful and accessible.

Oscar van Hemel was born in Antwerp, Belgium. His father cut cardboard books for barrel organs as an arranger and had a passion for brass bands. This characterized the childhood of Oscar, who played the violin and piano. In 1914, van Hemel successfully completed his violin studies at the Antwerp Conservatory. After the publication of his First Violin Sonata in 1936, he started composing more and more. Van Hemel settled with his family in Hilversum, Netherlands in 1949 and composed numerous works, many commissioned by Dutch broadcasting companies (such as KRO and NCRV) and the Dutch government, among others. 

Oscar van Hemel was among the most performed Dutch composers in the years 1935–1970. He received several awards for his work and his violin concertos were performed by well-known soloists such as Theo Olof and Herman Krebbers with the Concertgebouw Orchestra. Van Hemel was a moderately modern composer who used classical musical forms combined with atonal harmonies and melodies. He applied the twelve-tone technique, bitonality, “germ cell technique” and serialism but continued to strive to captivate his audience through lyricism. In the First Violin Concerto, for instance, the orchestration is particularly colorful and accessible. 

The First Violin Sonata from 1933 is dedicated to Willem Pijper, whose “germ cell technique” is reflected in it. It has a brevity typical of van Hemel, with its four movements – Moderato, Allegretto, Lento and Vivace – lasting just 12 minutes. At the 1937 Internationales Musikfest in Dresden, this surprising work created wonderment at Oscar van Hemel’s hitherto unknown talent. Another gem, the Piano Trio from 1937, is captivating from beginning to end: Romantic temperament in the Moderato, somber musings in the Grave, concluded by a playful Rondo Finale reminiscent of Bartók.

Muriël van Hemel, Violin
van Hemel Ensemble
Frans Douwe Slot, Piano