An Interview with Louis Andriessen, July 30, 1979

Charles Amirkhanian and Robert Hughes interview the Dutch composer Louis Andriessen in July of 1979. Andriessen is a third generation Dutch composer, whose work has been strongly influenced by his socialist politics. In this interview he discusses his work with two Dutch ensembles with leftist leanings and how, in such a situation, even a conductor is considered too authoritarian. The three also talk about the role the Dutch Government plays in financing the arts and how that differs from the situation in the United States. In addition, Andriessen describes three of his works, “Hoketus”, “Symphony for Open Strings”, and “Mausoleum”; what it was like to grow up in a family of famous composers; and how his politics influence which commissions he accepts and what type of ensembles he writes for.