Marius Flothuis

Marius Flothuis was born in Amsterdam on October 30, 1941.           

He studied piano with Arend Koole and music theory with Hans Brandt Buy. In 1937 he became assistant artistic director of the Concertgebouw orchestra. During World War 2, anyone active in the arts in the Netherlands were forced to register with the Chamber of Arts. Registering brought with it a declaration of loyalty to the occupying German forces. Flothuis’s wife had a Jewish father, and as such, Flothuis was considered to be in a “mixed marriage” and was required to register, but he refused. In 1942, due to his refusal, he lost this job. (1)

 

Flothuis was working with the resistance, sheltering Jews and organizing concerts to supporting the resistance.  He was denounced in September 1943. Arrested, he spent several months in prison in Vught and then was sent to the Oranienburg concentration camp, where he remained until May 1945. While interred, he gave piano recitals and composed. Following the war, Flothuis returned to the Concertgebouw Orchestra as artistic director from 1955-1974. He died November 13, 2001. In 2002 he was posthumously awarded the Yad Vashem prize. (2)

 

The Aubade for solo flute was written in Vught concentration camp, and completed on April 14, 1944. Dedicated to flutist and fellow prisoner Everard van Royen for her birthday, it was first performed by her in the camp. Upon hearing of the work, the camp commander had a microphone set up for her and had her perform it for the entire camp.(3)

 

 

(1) Eleonore Pameijer, Reprise, Nederlands: futureclassics.  2008

 

(2) Marius Flothuis (1914-2001), Leo Smit Foundation. http://www.leosmit.org/composers.php?DOC_INST=22  

 

(3) Marius Flothuis, Aubade, Program notes, Nederlands:Donemus Music, 19XX.