In search of the lost composers


In recent months I have had the pleasure of visiting some outstanding bookshops. In India there was the Full Circle Bookstore in Delhi, and Harmony Books and Kashi Annapurna Book House in Varanasi. In July I returned to the estimable Boekhandel Van der Meer in Noordwijk during my annual cycling trip to Holland. I took the accompanying photos of Boekhandel Van der Meer on on my iPhone; the store is also a Cultuurcafé, and not only does it serve excellent food and coffee but it also has an eclectic selection of CDs and vinyl.


Last year I wrote enthusiastically about pianist Jacob Bogaart's 8 CD anthology 'The Art of Dutch Keyboard Music' which I discovered in Boekhandel Van der Meer. This year my serendipitous discoveries included for a bargain 15 euros Etcetera's 10CD overview of Dutch Entartete Musik titled 'Forbidden Music in World War II'. As well as providing a poignant tribute to a persecuted generation, it is also an Aladdin's Cave of music awaiting rediscovery from these composers: Henriëtte Bosmans, Lex van Delden, Jan van Gilse, Dick Kattenburg, Ignace Lilien, Leo Smit, Rosy Wertheim, Nico Richter, Marius Flothuis, Sem Dresden,Wilhelm Rettich, Leo Kok, Mischa Hillesum, Sim Gokkes, Daniël Belinfante, Theo Smit Sibinga, Bob Hanf, and Marjo Tal. So that's my summer listening sorted.


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