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The Dutch Chopin

  • Definitive biography of Gerard von Brucken Fock (1859–1935), “the Dutch Chopin.”
  • Based on unique archival sources and rich illustrations.
  • By Eric Matser, the leading expert on Von Brucken Fock.

About the book

Gerard von Brucken Fock was a prominent figure in the Dutch music world in the first quarter of the twentieth century. His romantic chamber music and piano pieces are of a rare high standard. Edvard Grieg even called him ‘the Dutch Chopin’ in response to his 24 Praeludien opus 15. Conductor Willem Mengelberg spoke admiringly of his orchestral pieces as being by ‘one of our most talented composers’.

Today, Von Brucken Fock is virtually forgotten. He was a critic of society and of his time but made life difficult for himself and clung to his belief in the Kingdom of God. His life story reads like a novel; his music is of overwhelming beauty.

This book includes a CD with recordings from the opera Jozal and 10 of Von Brucken Fock's 152 late piano preludes, all works that have been (re)discovered by the author.

Quotes

“[...] How his piano music sounded has only recently become known, thanks to the research of Eric Matser and the concert performances and recordings inspired by it. [...] Matser’s book highlights the impressive life story and the choices Gerard von Brucken Fock made throughout his life, based on his own letters, diaries, articles, and music reviews, as well as publications by his contemporaries. [...] Word, image, and sound come together in this biography - just as they did in the life of Gerard von Brucken Fock—complementing each other in a vivid portrait of this multifaceted artist.” - Olga de Kort in Piano Bulletin 2022-1, p.95

“[...] The book is a true travail d’amour by Eric L. Matser. It is beautifully printed and illustrated with numerous photographs and color reproductions of Von Brucken Fock’s paintings.” - in Villa d’Arte-Pianist, Dec 2021

About the author

Eric Matser (Rotterdam, 1956) studied human geography at the Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam and has been the owner of Résonance – rental of string instruments (Amsterdam) since 1998. Driven by his fascination and mission, he became the world’s leading expert on the life and work of composer and painter Gerard von Brucken Fock. In 2021, Matser published the biography De Hollandse Chopin. Composer and Painter Gerard von Brucken Fock 1859–1935, also released by Uitgeverij Verloren.