Aafje Heynis (2 May 1924 – 16 December 2015) was a Dutch

contralto A contralto () is a type of classical female singing voice whose vocal range is the lowest female voice type. The contralto's vocal range is fairly rare; similar to the mezzo-soprano, and almost identical to that of a countertenor, typically b ...

. In 1961, she was awarded the

Harriet Cohen International Music Award The Harriet Cohen International Music Award was founded in 1951 by Sir Arnold Bax and others, in honour of the British pianist Harriet Cohen. It is to be distinguished from the Harriet Cohen Bach Prize, established in 1994, for the most deserv ...

. A tea rose, hybridised by Buisman 1964, was named after her. She died on 16 December 2015, aged 91. Aafje heynis

Discography

Bach Johann Sebastian Bach (28 July 1750) was a German composer and musician of the late Baroque period. He is known for his orchestral music such as the '' Brandenburg Concertos''; instrumental compositions such as the Cello Suites; keyboard w ...

Handel George Frideric (or Frederick) Handel (; baptised , ; 23 February 1685 – 14 April 1759) was a German-British Baroque composer well known for his operas, oratorios, anthems, concerti grossi, and organ concertos. Handel received his training i ...

: ''Sacred Arias'', Pierre Palla, Walther Schneiderhan (violinist), Nikolaus Hübner, Meindert Boekel ;

Vienna Symphony Orchestra The Vienna Symphony (Vienna Symphony Orchestra, german: Wiener Symphoniker) is an Austrian orchestra based in Vienna. Its primary concert venue is the Vienna Konzerthaus. In Vienna, the orchestra also performs at the Musikverein and at the Thea ...

, Amsterdam Chamber Orchestra, Prop Musica Choir ; Dir.

Hans Gillesberger Hans Gillesberger (29 November 1909 – 4 March 1986) was an Austrian choir director. He directed the Vienna Boys' Choir from 1942 to 1945, then becoming deputy director for the Vienna State Opera. He also taught at the University of Music and ...

, Marinus Voorberg, Lex Karsemeijer. * Bach : ''Cantatas BWV 170 & 169, Sacred Songs'', Albert de Klerk, Simon Jansen ; Netherlands Chamber Orchestra,

Netherlands Bach Society The Netherlands Bach Society ( nl, Nederlandse Bachvereniging) is the oldest ensemble for Baroque music in the Netherlands, and possibly in the world. The ensemble was founded in 1921 in Naarden to perform Johann Sebastian Bach, Bach's ''St Matthew ...

Choir,

Szymon Goldberg Szymon Goldberg (1 June 190919 July 1993) was a Polish-born Jewish classical music, classical violinist and Conducting, conductor, latterly an American. Born in Włocławek, Congress Poland, Goldberg played the violin as a child growing up in Warsa ...

. *

Brahms Johannes Brahms (; 7 May 1833 – 3 April 1897) was a German composer, pianist, and conductor of the mid-Romantic period. Born in Hamburg into a Lutheran family, he spent much of his professional life in Vienna. He is sometimes grouped with ...

: ''Choral Works & Overtures''. Vienna Singverein,

; Dir.

Wolfgang Sawallisch Wolfgang Sawallisch (26 August 1923 – 22 February 2013) was a German conductor and pianist. Biography Wolfgang Sawallisch was born in Munich, the son of Maria and Wilhelm Sawallisch. His father was director of the Hamburg-Bremer-Feuerversich ...

. * Brahms : ''

Alto Rhapsody The ''Alto Rhapsody'', Op. 53, is a composition for contralto, male chorus, and orchestra by Johannes Brahms, a setting of verses from Johann Wolfgang von Goethe's '' Harzreise im Winter''. It was written in 1869, as a wedding gift for Robert ...

'', Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra, Apollo Royal Male Choir,

Eduard Van Beinum Eduard Alexander van Beinum (; 3 September 1900 – 13 April 1959, Amsterdam) was a Dutch conductor. Biography Van Beinum was born in Arnhem, Netherlands, where he received his first violin and piano lessons at an early age. He joined the A ...

(1958). * Brahms, ''

Vier ernste Gesänge ''Vier ernste Gesänge'' (''Four Serious Songs''), Op. 121, is a cycle of four songs for bass and piano by Johannes Brahms. As in his ''Ein deutsches Requiem'', the texts are compiled from the Luther Bible. Three songs deal with death and the ...

'', piano : Johan van den Boogert (1958). *

Mahler Gustav Mahler (; 7 July 1860 – 18 May 1911) was an Austro-Bohemian Romantic composer, and one of the leading conductors of his generation. As a composer he acted as a bridge between the 19th-century Austro-German tradition and the modernism ...

: ''Symphony No. 2 "Resurrection"'',

Elly Ameling Elisabeth Sara "Elly" Ameling (born 8 February 1933) is a retired Dutch soprano, who was particularly known for lieder recitals and for performing works by Johann Sebastian Bach. Performing with distinguished pianists and ensembles around the glo ...

, Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra, Netherlands Radio Chorus,

Bernard Haitink Bernard Johan Herman Haitink (; 4 March 1929 – 21 October 2021) was a Dutch conductor and violinist. He was the principal conductor of several international orchestras, beginning with the Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra in 1961. He moved to Lond ...

, 1968. *

Schubert Franz Peter Schubert (; 31 January 179719 November 1828) was an Austrian composer of the late Classical and early Romantic eras. Despite his short lifetime, Schubert left behind a vast ''oeuvre'', including more than 600 secular vocal wor ...

: ''Rosamunde'', Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra, Bernard Haitink. *

Antonio Vivaldi Antonio Lucio Vivaldi (4 March 1678 – 28 July 1741) was an Italian composer, virtuoso violinist and impresario of Baroque music. Regarded as one of the greatest Baroque composers, Vivaldi's influence during his lifetime was widespread a ...

: ''The five compositions on Christ's Passion'' and ''Introduction to the Miserere'', I Solisti Di Milano, Angelo Ephrikian, 1966. ;Compilations * ''Het Puik van zoete kelen'' (''The Cream of Glorious Voices'') Philips Dutch Masters 464 385-2 (includes her performance "

Sea Slumber Song "Sea Slumber Song" is a 19th-century poem by Roden Noel set to music by Edward Elgar, Sir Edward Elgar as the first song in his song-cycle ''Sea Pictures'' (1899). Lyrics The poem here is as sung in ''Sea Pictures''. ''Italicised'' text indicat ...

" by

Edward Elgar Sir Edward William Elgar, 1st Baronet, (; 2 June 1857 – 23 February 1934) was an English composer, many of whose works have entered the British and international classical concert repertoire. Among his best-known compositions are orchestr ...

) * ''Les rarissimes de Aafje Heinis'' : Gluck, Haydn, Dorjak, Franck, Caplet, Brahms, Schuinbert, R. Strauss, Wolf, Mahler (EMI, 2005)

References

External links

MusicWeb reviews of Philips Bach and Handel arias CD, accessed 21 January 2010

(Dutch – more extensive set of five pages)

(includes MP3 of Sir Edward Elgar's

)
Bach Cantatas page on Aafje Heynis
* {{DEFAULTSORT:Heynis, Aafje 1924 births 2015 deaths Operatic contraltos People from Zaanstad Dutch contraltos 20th-century Dutch women opera singers