Der Kreis des Lebens

‘The cycle of life’ for soprano, tenor, 8 part mixed choir and orchestra (cantata) Words by Rainer Maria Rilke location of manuscript: www.nederlandsmuziekinstituut.nl archive registration number 053/065 053/065-1 053/066 053/067 Jan van Gilse received his musical education in Germany. His music developed into a synthesis of French impressionism and German romanticism. He became a popular conductor and one of the founders of the Society of Dutch composers (GeNeCo) and also the copyright organization BUMA. During the war, this socially engaged human being was fiercely anti-German. He had to pay a heavy price for his fighting spirit. by dr. Hans van Dijk