Jef van Hoof

Jef Van Hoof

Jef Van Hoof (8 May 1886 – 24 April 1959) was a Belgian composer and conductor with a Flemish ethnic background.^[1]

Born in Antwerp, Van Hoof was a pupil of Paul Gilson and was heavily influenced by the works of Peter Benoit. His dedication to the Flemish cause led him to collaborate with the German occupiers in World War I, for which he was subsequently sentenced to eight months in prison.^{[citation needed]}

He studied at the Royal Conservatoire Antwerp, of which he was the director from 1942 to 1944. In 1933 he founded the Flemish National Song Festival [nl] (Vlaams Nationaal Zangfeest) where he worked as a conductor for many years. He also conducted concerts associated with the Flemish Movement. He died in Antwerp in 1959 at the age of 72.

He composed chamber music, symphonic works, art songs, works for solo piano, carillon, organ, as well as sacred music. He is particularly known for writing the Flemish patriotic song "Groeninge" to a text by Guido Gezelle.

Works (Selection)

Symphonies

• Symphony No. 1 in A major (1938)
• Symphony No. 2 in A-flat major (1938)
• Symphony No. 3 in E-flat major (1945)
• Symphony No. 4 in B major (1950)
• Symphony No. 5 in E major (1955)
• Symphony No. 6 in B-flat major (1959)

Orchestral

• Perzeus, Concert Overture (1908)
• William the Silent, Concert Overture (1912)
• Meivuur, suite from the opera (1916)
• Remembrance Overture (1917)
• Symphonic Suite No. 1 (1918)
• Symphonic introduction to a festive occasion (1942)
• Symphonic Suite No. 2 (1952)

Concertante

• Sketch for Cello and Orchestra (1920)
• Divertimento For Trombone And Orchestra (1935)

Orchestral Songs

• A Mood of Spring for soprano and orchestra (1910)
• The Garland Has Been Hung (1913)
• Afternoon At Home (1946)

References

1. Derom, Eric (2015). "Symphonic Music in Occupied Belgium, 1940-1944: The Role of "German-Friendly" Music Societies". Revue belge de Musicologie. 69: 109–125. JSTOR 24752447.

• Biography by Luc Leytens

External links

• Media related to Jef Van Hoof at Wikimedia Commons