Mengelberg, Rudolf (EN)

Mengelberg Curt Rudolf, *1 February 1892 Krefeld, †13 October 1959 Beausoleil (near Nice), Dutch musicologist and composer, nephew of Willem. He studied musicology with H. Riemann in Leipzig (he received his doctorate in 1915). He then settled in Amsterdam, where he studied composition under C. Dopper and his uncle. He was professionally involved with Concertgebouw. In 1917, he took up the post of artistic assistant there, in 1925 worked as artistic manager, and in the years 1935–1954 was director of the institution. The festival of all Mahler’s orchestral works, which he organised 1920 in Amsterdam, was judged to be a great musical event. Mengelberg composed mainly vocal works in the Romantic style. These are often compositions for religious texts combining features of Verdi’s dramas (the important role of the orchestra in shaping the expressiveness of the works) and elements of Gregorian chant. Mengelberg’s writing output is notable for his work on the role of music in Christian culture (Muziek, spiegel des tijds).

Literature: W. Paap Dr. Rudolf Mengelberg zestigjaar, “Mens en melodie” VII, 1952.