Simeon ten Holt

Masterpieces from the 20th century:
Canto Ostinato

Canto Ostinato by Dutch composer Simeon ten Holt is deemed the most popular Dutch work in minimal music. Although the piece is usually played on two or four pianos, it can also be performed on other instruments. Canto Ostinato consists of several short musical cells that are repeated; how often this is done is decided by the performers themselves. The music is reminiscent of a vast landscape in which you can wander for hours.

Ten Holt about Canto Ostinato: ‘The basic pulse in the music is constant from beginning to end. There are considerable differences between the cells. Sometimes the transitions from one cell to the next are rather abrupt; in those cases, new material appears suddenly, rather than being introduced gradually in steps that are barely discernible, as in some early minimalist experiments. At a third of the piece, a melody unexpectedly detaches itself from the fabric and turns into a theme with accompaniment for a few minutes. It is especially effective because at that point you have already spent an hour listening to undulating, hypnotic repetition – so it comes as quite an emotional shock.’

Ten Holt has left the number of musicians open. Although the piece is usually played on two or four pianos, it can also be performed on other instruments. This season, Canto Ostinato is performed with four percussionists and a pianist, and can also be enjoyed in an orchestral version.

This is a translation of the original Dutch text by René van Peer.

Concert