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The Dutch choral conductor and organist, Thijs Kramer, studied piano, organ and orchestral conducting at the Amsterdam Conservatorium and Music Lyceum with, among others, Jaap Spaanderman, Anthon van der Horst and Péter Erös. The first prize at the International Internationale Zomeracademie in Haarlem (1960) was the prelude to a career as an organist who led him throughout Europe. His playing has been recorded on several records and CD's, mainly with works from the great romantic repertoire, such as the symphonies by Charles-Marie Widor, the sonata by Julius Reubke, and a work by the artist, the symphony Media Vita. On the basis of his merits for French organ music, he received the silver medal from the French Société Académique Arts Sciences Lettres in Paris in 1991. In October 2000, he obtained his doctorate in musicology at the Universiteit van Utrecht for the dissertation Zahlenfiguren in der Musik Johann Sebastian Bachs.
As a conductor of various professional and amateur choirs, including the Concertkoor Baarn (formerly: Christelijke Oratoriumvereniging Baarn) since 1972, Thijs Kramer conducted numerous oratorios and various operas in concert form. After periods of activity as a rehearsal director, choral conductor, organist and pianist at the Nederlandse Opera and the Omroep werd (Broadcasting Company), he was appointed conductor of the KCOV Excelsior in Amsterdam in 1988 and in 1989 as conductor of the Nederlandse Händelvereniging (Dutch Handel Association). With these two great choirs he performed a wide range of works, including the world premiere of the original version of Felix Mendelssohn's Elias (the disappeared manuscript that Thijs Kramer had traced in England). He also performed almost all humanist-inspired choral works by Johannes Brahms with orchestra, including Rinaldo, which he adapted for mixed choir.
On April 3, 2007, Simon Reinink, director of the Concertgebouw, handed over Thijs Kramer's bronze Concertgebouw medal at the Concertgebouw in Amsterdam. This medallion (established in 1928) is awarded to persons who have made a special contribution to the Concertgebouw. He was already in 1958 on the organ of the Concertgebouw with a performance of George Frideric Handel's Belshezzar, and then he conducted J.S. Bach's Matthäus-Passion (BWV 244) dozens of times and accompanied the organ.
Thijs Kramer wrote a series of articles in 1987-1988 about the composer and violinist Cor Kint. In the years 2004-2008 he performed at Boeijenga in Veenhuizen Kint's complete organ works in four parts, as well as his compositions for harmonium / small organ solo and for violin with harmonium / small organ accompaniment. In 2011 Kint's Hymn for violin and orchestra appeared.
Thijs Kramer is also conductor of Vocaal Ensemble Fioretto. He can also be heard as a soloist on the grand piano and on organ. In Movember 2018, he said goodbye to the Concertkoor Baarn with a farewell concert on November 3, 2018. He has been active for 45 years for the Concertkoor Baarn, with which, according to Mayor Mark Röell, he made a major contribution to the cultural life in Baarn. He was succeeded in this post by Anthony Scheffer. |
