Pieter Jan Leusink (born 5 April 1958 in Elburg) is a Dutch conductor of classical music.
He studied organ in Zwolle at the Municipal Conservatory and took conducting lessons from Gottfried van der Horst. He founded the Stadsknapenkoor Elburg (Elburg City Boys' Choir) in April 1981 and founded three musical events in Elburg's St Nicholas Church, a Festival of Lessons and Carols in December, J.S. Bach's St Matthew Passion (BWV 244) during the Easter season, and summer concerts in July and August. [1] He began conducting the Holland Boys Choir in 1984; currently it has 80 singers. [2]
Ten years later, in 1994, he founded The Leusink Bach Orchestra and one year later, an adult mixed choir, The Bach Choir of the Netherlands. They later merged into The Bach Choir and Orchestra. He is best known for his recordings of Bach in particular, as well as Handel, Mozart, Fauré and Antonio Vivaldi and has performed in England, Wales, Denmark, Germany, Belgium, France, Italy, Poland, Latvia and his native Netherlands. [1] Every year throughout the Netherlands about 150 concerts are performed by the choirs and the orchestra of Leusink. In 1999 and 2000 Leusink recorded all of Bach's sacred cantatas within 15 months. [1]
In 2004, Leusink was honoured by his conferment to Knight of the Order of the Netherlands Lion.
In 2018, four female musicians accused Leusink of sexual misconduct. [3] Two months later two more women came forward. [4] At the time, Leusink denied the allegations; according to his counsel Peter Plasman, it was claimed they were based on differences of opinion of a business nature. After complaints from two female musicians dating back to 2012–2013 and 2013–2016, the Dutch College of Human Rights (College voor de Rechten van de Mens ) ruled in June 2022 that Leusink was guilty of sexual harassment. [5] The case Leusden is one of the elaborated cases in an anaylis published by the Volkskrant about similar cases in the Dutch Cultural Sector and the resulting DARVO "deny, attack, and reverse victim & offender" strategies. [6]
Elburg is a municipality and a city in the province of Gelderland, Netherlands.
Laß, Fürstin, laß noch einen Strahl is a secular cantata composed as a funeral ode by Johann Sebastian Bach, first performed on 17 October 1727. In Wolfgang Schmieder's catalogue of Bach's works (BWV) it was assigned the number 198. It is also known as Trauerode or as Trauerode: auf den Tod der Königin Christiane Eberhardine.
Gott fähret auf mit Jauchzen, BWV 43, is a church cantata by Johann Sebastian Bach. He composed it in Leipzig for the Feast of the Ascension and first performed it on 30 May 1726. It begins with a quotation from Psalm 47.
Ärgre dich, o Seele, nicht, BWV 186 is a church cantata by Johann Sebastian Bach. He composed it originally in Weimar in 1716 for Advent, BWV 186a, and expanded it in Leipzig in 1723 for the seventh Sunday after Trinity, where he first performed it on 11 July 1723.
Was frag ich nach der Welt, BWV 94 is one of many church cantatas composed by Johann Sebastian Bach. He composed it in Leipzig, setting a text appropriate for the Ninth Sunday after Trinity Sunday, and first performed it on 6 August 1724.
Lobe den Herrn, meine Seele, BWV 69, also BWV 69.2, is a cantata by Johann Sebastian Bach.
Brilliant Classics is a classical music label based in the Dutch town of Leeuwarden. It is renowned for releasing super-budget-priced editions on CD of the complete works of J.S. Bach, Mozart, Beethoven and many other composers. The label also specialises in new recordings of early music, chamber, organ and piano music.
Sytse Buwalda is a Dutch counter-tenor.
Marius van Altena, born Marius Hendrikus Schweppe is a Dutch tenor. He was one of the pioneers of historically informed performance of Baroque and Renaissance music. He has also sung Baroque opera, worked as conductor and as an academic teacher.
The Netherlands Bach Collegium is a Baroque orchestra based in the Netherlands. It is conducted by Pieter Jan Leusink. They are noted for their Complete Cantatas Brilliant Series, a recording of the complete sacred cantatas by Johann Sebastian Bach.
Johan van der Meer was a Dutch choral conductor and pioneer in the field of historically informed performance. He founded the Groningse Bachvereniging.
The Groningse Bachvereniging was a Dutch semi-professional mixed choir, which existed from 1945 to 1989 and was known for its performances of Baroque music in historically informed performance. It was founded by Johan van der Meer and conducted by him until 1982.
Johann Sebastian Bach composed the church cantata Es reißet euch ein schrecklich Ende, BWV 90, in Leipzig for the 25th Sunday after Trinity and first performed it on 14 November 1723.
Ich steh mit einem Fuß im Grabe, BWV 156, is a church cantata by Johann Sebastian Bach. He composed it in Leipzig for the third Sunday after Epiphany and first performed it in 1727 or 1729. The cantata is well known for its opening sinfonia for orchestra and oboe solo.
Ich habe meine Zuversicht, BWV 188, is a church cantata by Johann Sebastian Bach. He composed the cantata in Leipzig for the 21st Sunday after Trinity and probably first performed it on 17 October 1728.
Gott ist unsre Zuversicht, BWV 197.2, is a church cantata by Johann Sebastian Bach.
Peter Dijkstra is a Dutch conductor, especially of choirs and vocal ensembles.
Marjon Strijk is a Dutch classical soprano. She is focused on Renaissance and Baroque music. She has recorded Bach cantatas with the Holland Boys Choir, conducted by Pieter Jan Leusink.
Bach composed Wie schön leuchtet der Morgenstern, BWV 1, as chorale cantata for the Marian feast of the Annunciation, for a first performance in a church service in Leipzig on 25 March 1725. The cantata, for soprano, tenor and bass soloists, four-part choir and Baroque orchestra, takes around 25 minutes to perform.
This is a list of recordings of Bach's cantata Ich will den Kreuzstab gerne tragen, BWV 56, a solo cantata for bass or bass-baritone composed for the 19th Sunday after Trinity, first performed on 29 October 1726. In English, it is commonly referred to as the Kreuzstab cantata.