From scholarship to sensation. Dutch music history in the nineteenth century

A contest for the best essay on the merits of Dutch composers who had emigrated to Italy in the 14th, 15th, and 16th centuries, issued by the Dutch Royal Institute in 1824, constituted the starting point for Dutch music historiography in the nineteenth century. The winning entries by Kieswetter and Fétis are characterized by both serious scholarly endeavour as well as a good antenna for the nationalist agenda behind the contest. The same can be said about the Dutch publications that followed in their wake, such as the 1841 biography of Lassus by the amateur music historian Florentius Kist. The persistence of nationalist interests in the development of Dutch music historiography in the nineteenth century also spilled over into the reception of the first performances of music from the alleged 'Netherlanders' schools. The sensational succes of the performances by the specialzed ensemble conducted by Dutch composer Daniel de Lange was in part due to pride of national achievement from the past, but mostly to the international acknowledgement that Dutch composers of the past had indeed made an important contribution to European music history