Selected musical compositions

Instrumentation:: Euler organ; Fokker organ; archiphone; two violins

The Dutch physicist Adriaan Fokker (1887–1972) was the main advocate of 31-tone music in the Netherlands. Besides writing a good many texts about the subject, he composed quite a large oeuvre of music in the 31-tone systems, largely between 1944 and 1972, the year of his death. These compositions are intended for various instruments, such as the so-called Euler organ (a small 12-key just-intonation pipe organ), the Fokker organ (a large 31-tone pipe organ, with an enharmonic keyboard), the archiphone (an electronic variant of the pipe organ), or two violins. The present edition begins with a comprehensive introduction, dealing with Fokker’s biography, theoretical ideas and musical compositions. Then follow selections from Fokker’s musical oeuvre, together with 31 pieces, in the various microtonal media.

1987

ISBN 90-70907-11-9 (cloth)

217 pp.

21 x 30 cm

€47.50 or US$47.50

	Preface		7

Part One Introduction

1	Adriaan Daniël Fokker (1887–1972)
1.1	Short biography		15
1.2	Fokker’s writings on music		17
1.3	Fokker’s writings on non-musical subjects		21
1.4	List of musical compositions dedicated to, commissioned by, or otherwise connected with Fokker		26

2	The 31-tone scale
2.1	Tones		27
2.2	Notation		28
2.3	Intervals		30
2.4	Instruments		31

3	Fokker’s theories of music
3.1	Introduction		38
3.2	Music theory		39
3.2.1	Melodies and counterpoint		39
3.2.2	Chords		40
3.2.3	Harmony		42
3.2.4	The Euler-Fokker genera		48
3.2.5	Checklist of Euler-Fokker genera		51
3.2.6	Other subjects		59
3.3	Tuning theory		60
3.3.1	Just intonation		60
3.3.2	Multiple divisions		64
3.4	Fokker’s significance as a music theorist		66

4	Fokker’s musical compositions
4.1	Overview		68
4.1.1	Fokker’s musical oeuvre		68
4.1.2	Fokker as a composer		73
4.2	Sources		75
4.2.1	Introduction		75
4.2.2	The sketchbooks		76
4.2.3	The fair copies		79
4.3	Fokker’s music-copying		80
4.4	Editorial policy		81

5	Notes and comments concerning the individual compositions
5.1	Section 1: Compositions for Euler organ		83
5.2	Section 2: Compositions for Fokker organ		88
5.3	Section 3: Compositions for two violins		108
5.4	Section 4: Compositions 1970–1972		117

	References		123

Part Two The music

		Comments	Music

Section 1 Compositions for Euler organ 1948
1	Barcarolle (1948)	84	129
2	Tenacitas (1948)	84	129
3	Preludium (1948)	86	131

Section 2 Compositions for Fokker organ 1950–1961
4	Bagatelle "Zee en haven" (1950)	89	135
5	Bagatelle "Stad en land" (1950)	90	137
6	Bagatelle "Chinees" (1951)	91	139
7	Bagatelle "Moed en angst" (1951)	93	140
8	Bagatelle "De koekoeken" (1951)	93	142
9	Harmonische variaties (1952)	96	144
10	De harmonieke zesster (1952)	96	146
11	Kalenderblaadjes in de kringloop van acht (1953)	97	151
12	Passacaglia (1954)	100	158
13	Preludio-Barcarolle & Toccata (1956)	102	163
14	Toccata (1957)	102	168
15	Mordente & Toccata (1957)	103	170
16	Mosaico & Toccata (1957)	103	173
17	Jakobs droom (1959)	104	179
18	Bagatelle "Verstrengeling (1961)	106	186

Section 3 Compositions for two violins 1964–1967
19	Septimes in de Tatrabergen (1964)	108	191
20	Jantje Contrarie (1964)	108	192
21	Oer (1966)	109	193
22	De verstarde gewekt (1966)	109	194
23	Kibbelende gelieven (1966)	111	197
24	Naar Den Bosch toe (1966)	112	199
25	Sien! Sien! (1966)	113	200
26	Hotelkamer 225 (1967)	114	202
27	Hotelkamer 315 (1967)	115	203

Section 4 Compositions for archiphone Compositions for two violins 1970–1972
28	De gedurige diëze (1970; archiphone)	118	207
29	Harmonische transformaties van kringspiegelingen (1970; two violins)	120	210
30	Kabbelende diëzegolven (1971; archiphone)	120	213
31	6 : 7 : 8 : 9 (1972; two violins)	122	214

The Diapason Press

Corpus Microtonale

Adriaan Daniël Fokker