Dick Raaijmakers

As a 'multimedia artist', Dick Raaijmakers (b. 1930) was way ahead of his time and also exceptionally versatile. A pioneering spirit in heart and soul, he is the founding father of a completely new genre in contemporary composed music.
The work of Raaijmakers embraces a whole diversity of genres and styles: from sound animations for films to highly abstract 'impulse structures', from 'action music' to never-ending vocal textures, and from electro-acoustic tableaux vivants to extracts from music theatre works. Raaijmakers masterfully conjoins disciplines such as the visual arts, film, literature and theatre with the universe of music. He is a visionary researcher, thinker, creator and teacher, the composer of myriad electronic compositions, including several for the Holland Festival and the Hollandia theatre company.
The work of Raaijmakers is exceptional because it leaves an indelible impression on his public, even though it is difficult to reproduce. His oeuvre consists of striking and inimitable productions that follow a cogent line and display great consistency, realized and performed with a profound sensitivity for detail and perfection.
Since the late 1950s, the influence of Raaijmakers has been immense - not only on younger generations of composers and musicians but also on colleagues of his own generation. Besides being a great inspiration for people associated with the Royal Conservatoire in The Hague or those who studied there, his work has also caused a stir in the worlds of dramatic and fine arts.
This monograph reflects the breadth and depth of Raaijmakers' whole life and work, exploring all its different aspects. The methodological, theoretical and theatrical aspects as well as the pedagogical and musical - all of which interact - will also be considered separately.
This volume contains a series of essays, each exploring a particular area of Raaijmakers' work, and provides descriptions of all his works. The book also includes a bibliographic overview of all his published texts.