Canto Ostinato

CANTO OSTINATO

The Canto Ostinato by Simeon ten Holt is remotely - at least in the Netherlands - one of the most playedpieces of a Dutch composer. Although the work takeselements from the Minimal Music, the music of CantoOstinato widely transcends this genre. The simple but beautiful harmonic transitions, as the 5/16 time signature that wants to move forward, the strongmelody that rises halfway through the piece out of the ever-repeating patterns, all makes for a kind of musical trance attracting  a large group of listeners.

 
The Canto Ostinato is therefore one of my favorite pieces. Because of that love forthis music, I found it interesting to identify how many and which versions are now available on CDThere are so many that the following list is probably not complete. On the other hand I found versions of Canto Ostinato that were unknown to me.

 

Although Canto Ostinato is officially meant to be played on one or more keyboard instruments, there is an increasing number of versions for different combinations of instruments.

 

 

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CANTO OSTINATO - SOLO

Ivo Janssen - Canto Ostinato - piano - iTunes  
Jeroen van Veen - Simeon ten Holt - Solo Piano Music - piano - iTunes

Arielle Vernède - Canto Ostinato - piano - bol.com

Aart Bergwerff - Canto Ostinato - organ - iTunes

Assia Cunego - Canto Ostinato - harp - iTunes

Peter Elbertse - Canto Ostinato - marimbas - iTunes

Toon Hagen - Canto Ostinato - orgel - bol.com

CANTO OSTINATO - DUO

Sandra & Jeroen van Veen - Canto Ostinato - 2 pianos - iTunes
Tomoko Mukaiyama & Gerard Bouwhuis - Canto Ostinato - 2 pianos - Shop

Kees Wieringa & Polo de Haas - Canto Ostinato - 2 pianos - iTunes
Gwyneth Wentink & Wouter Snoei - Canto Ostinato Audio Visual - harp and electronica - iTunes
Sandra & Jeroen van Veen - Canto Ostinato LIve Version - 2 piano' - iTunes

Sandra & Jeroen van Veen - Canto Ostinato - 2 synthesizers - iTunes 

Sandra & Jeroen van Veen - Canto Ostinato - 4 keyboards & synthesizers - iTunes
Sandra & Jeroen van Veen - Canto Ostinato - 2 prepared pianos - iTunes

Sandra & Jeroen van Veen - Canto Ostinato LIve in Culemborg - 2 pianos - iTunes
Sandra & Jeroen van Veen - Canto Ostinato LIve in Bergen - 2 pianos - iTunes

 

 

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CANTO OSTINATO - QUARTET

Sandra & Jeroen van Veen, Peter Elbertse, Esther Doornink - Canto Ostinato (2 pianos & 2 marimbas) - iTunes

Rondane Kwartet - Canto Ostinato - 4 pianos - iTunes

Van Veen Duo & Bergmann Duo - Canto Ostinato LIve Version - 4 pianos - iTunes

Sandra & Jeroen van Veen, Marcel Bergmann, Aart Bergwerff - Canto Ostinato - 3 pianos & organ - iTunes

Arielle Vernède, Cees van Zeeland, Gene Carl, Gerard Bouwhuis - Canto Ostinato - 4 pianos - iTunes

SimeonKwartet - Canto Ostinato - 4 pianos - Shop

Sandra & Jeroen van Veen, Aart Bergwerff, Frank Steijns - Canto Ostinato LIve in Leiden - 2 pianos, organ & carillion  - iTunes

Sandra & Jeroen van Veen, Irene Russo, Fred Oldenburg - Canto Ostinato - 4 pianos - iTunes

CANTO OSTINATO - BIGGER ENSEMBLES

Cello Octet Amsterdam - Canto Ostinato - 8 celli - bol.com
Van Veen Duo & Bergman Duo, Aart Bergwerff - Canto Ostinato XXL - 4 pianos & organ - iTunes

Various artists - Canto Ostinato Revisited - pianos, stringquartet, vocals - iTunes

Josep Vincent & Amsterdam Percussion Group - Drumming (fragment) - percussion ensemble - iTunes

CANTO OSTINATO - NOT RELEASED ON CD

Amsterdam Mallet Collective, Ivo Jansen - 2 marimbas & piano - YouTube
Nederlands Saxofoon Octet - 8 saxophones - YouTube
Kwintool - 5 pianos - YouTube

Accordeon ensemble D'Acht - accordeon ensemble - Youtube 


 

 

 

THE PIANO FILES

My love for the Canto Ostinato isperhaps still the most manifest on my album The Piano Files, on which the press wrote:

  • An intriguing mix of Simeon ten Holt’s Canto Ostinato and the “maximal” minimal style of John Adams
  • Perhaps City Lines is most reminiscent of the sensual composer Simeon ten Holt
  • Eisenga's music is very accessible and of a generosity that has no borders.
  • Les Chants Estivaux is a spatially conceived piece for four pianos and is attractively colourful, with a gently rhythmic momentum and joyously refined harmonic progressions.
  • A treat for all those who love the compositions by Simeon ten Holt.