Melancholia for baritone and cello composed by sonja beets
Life and career
Sonja Beets was born in Amsterdam and studied music at the Amsterdam Conservatory, graduating in piano in 1978 and in organ in 1979. She later continued her studies with George van Renesse and Nelly Wagenaar and studied the Asian instrument sarangi with Joep Bor. She later also studied Celtic harp. She began work as a composer in 1987, and made her debut in 2000.
In 1997 Beets founded the arts organization Muzenstede where she currently serves as director. In 2000 she acted as producer for the project Muzikale Stadswandeling te Wijk bij Duurstede, which was a musical tour through the Netherlands. In 2000 she also founded the ensemble Purusha.
Beets lived and worked in Belgium from 2001–2007, and took up residence in France in 2007. Her works have been performed internationally.
Works
Beets composes mostly chamber and vocal works. Selected compositions include:
Opera
De Argeloze (chamber opera in 3 acts, libretto by Tom Sol, after Voltaire), lyrical soprano, mezzo-soprano, 2 tenors, 2 baritones, bass-baritone, 2 basses, flute (+ piccolo), oboe (+ English horn), bassoon, hurdy-gurdy, violin, cello, double bass, Op. 39, 2001–03
Chamber
Euterpe 2, piano, harpsichord, Op. 12, 1999
Purusha, cello, piano, Op. 25, 2000
Fantasie, harp, cello, Op. 26, 2000
Klankdichtje, cello, piano, Op. 32, 2001
Trio, violin, cello, piano, Op. 38, 2001
Choral
Freedom (texts by Samuel Taylor Coleridge, the composer), mixed chorus, piano, Op. 8, 1998
Muziek op Kerstmis (text by Willem de Mérode), mezzo-soprano, baritone, audience chorus, cello, organ, Op. 27, 2000
Other vocal
Time (text by the composer), baritone, piano, Op. 1, 1989
Mozart mon ami (text by Roger Riblet Buchmann), alto, piano, Op. 9, 1998