Hoketus

From HitStory, the pop encyclopedia of School of Rock · Artist

Hoketus was an amplified music ensemble that the Dutch composer Louis Andriessen founded in 1976. The group came together to perform his minimalist composition Hoketus, but continued to exist and also played works by other composers, many of whom came from within the group itself. The ensemble ceased in 1987.

Music and breakthrough

The line-up was radical. There were two equal groups of instruments: two pianos, two Fender Rhodes electric pianos, two sets of panpipes, two saxophones, two electric bass guitars and two percussionists. The group saw itself as a collective and drew up rules that together almost formed a manifesto. The ensemble always played loudly amplified, and the two groups stood as far apart as possible on stage. Personal expression was not allowed. Melodies arose only from the interlocking of single notes or chords, played alternately by the two groups, using the medieval technique of the hocket, from which the group took its name.

Influence

The preference was for work that was heavy, loud, dissonant and hard, under the influence of both hard rock and Igor Stravinsky, one of Andriessen's favourite composers. Besides Andriessen, composers including Diderik Wagenaar, Cornelis de Bondt, Michael Nyman, Huib Emmer, Cees van Zeeland, Klas Torstensson and Gene Carl wrote for Hoketus. In 1989 the group Icebreaker was formed in York with a similar line-up, and it continues to play the Hoketus repertoire.

Listening

Discography

Studio albums

• 1980Louis Andriessen: Hoketus / Frederic Rzewski: Coming Together
• 1981Diderik Wagenaar: Tam Tam / Cornelis de Bondt: Bint