Description

FRANCIS DIRK JACOBUS KOENE (WELTEVREDEN (BATAVIA), DUTCH EAST INDIES, MARCH 11, 1899 – AMSTERDAM, JANUARY 29, 1935)

He was the son of a Dutch father, Cornelis Koenen and Indian mother, Sophie Emelia Heaviside. He was married to Maria Cornelia Anna Büttinghausen from 1920 to 1934, after which he became engaged to Henriëtte Bosmans. He soon received music lessons. When the family left for the Netherlands, he was able to study at the Royal Conservatory of Music in The Hague with Laurent Angenot from 1910 to 1913. Further training was given with Louis Zimmermann (violin) and Fred. J. Roeske (music theory). In 1921/1922 he became first violinist and concertmaster with the Utrecht Municipal Orchestra under chief conductor Evert Cornelis. In 1925 he made a concert trip to the Dutch East Indies. In 1926 he left for Dresden to play in the orchestra of the Saxon State Theater ; he succeeded Karl Thomann . He eventually became concertmaster there, while also teaching at the orchestra’s orchestra school. He performed as a soloist in concert works with the orchestra, but also with the Czech Philharmonic Orchestra and Dresden Philharmonic . He played both existing and new repertoire, Felix Mendelssohn-Bartholdy opposite Gustav Holst (he was one of the soloists at the German premiere of his Double Violin Concerto) and Alban Berg . He also immersed himself in chamber music , forming the Neues Dresdner Trio with pianist Paul Aron and cellist Karl Hesse, again alternating between existing and new music. Due to poor health, he had to say goodbye to the podium during the 1932/1933 season. During the rise of Nazi Germany he left for the Netherlands again. He died in the Wilhelmina Gasthuis while he was admitted for an operation. He was cremated at Westerveld amid great interest from the art world. After he died, his fiancée Henriëtte Bosmans did not compose for a while. He was teacher of Kitty de Josselin de Jong, who turned to literature.

TRACKLIST

1. La Polichinelle (Kreisler) Columbia D 9994 F 527
2. Saudades do Brasil, 2 dances (Milhaud) Leme Columbia D 9995 (W) F 528
3. Saudades do Brasil, 2 dances (Milhaud) Ipanema Columbia D 9995 (W) F 529
4. Schön Rosmarin (Kreisler) Columbia D 9994 F 526
5. 6. Violin romance No. 1 in G Op. 40 (Beethoven) Columbia D 17187 (W) FX 168 169