De Nieuwe Muze: An Interview with Willem Jeths Regarding His Third Piano Concerto
- Willem Jeths
- Mar 16
- 2 min read
Updated: 4 days ago
In a recent article in De Nieuwe Muze (#2026-02), Peter Schlamilch interviews Willem Jeths, not only discussing his new piano concerto (No. 3: Scorching Passions), but also delving into topics of musical aesthetics, the enduring relevance of tonality, the role of intuition in composition, and the necessity of an emotional connection between music and listener. The title, “Without music, life is nothing but dry sand” (in Dutch: Zonder muziek is het leven louter klapzand), already reveals the profound significance music holds in his life, as well as the inner drive that has shaped his artistic voice over decades.
In this interview, Willem Jeths looks back in time and reflects on the many figures who have influenced his musical thinking, both directly and indirectly, and on how these influences have contributed to the development of his distinctive compositional language.
"For me, innovation has never been an end in itself. I was simply searching for new colors; that fascinated me. [...] Instrumentation is one of my great passions."
In this article, you will read more about the recent piano concerto.
“My piano concerto, written for the wonderful pianist Ellen Corver, whom I have known for forty years, now carries the subtitle Scorching Passions. Each of the three movements explores a different facet of human passion.
Read the full article on de nieuwe muze:
In a section of this article, Willem Jeths discusses a particular mode he discovered, or as he puts it, "realized I had discovered," which he uses in several of his compositions, including his latest piano concerto. More information about this mode, referred to as Jeths' Mode, can be found in the video below:
The premiere of the Third Piano Concerto will take place on May 2nd and 3rd, performed by the Residentie Orkest and conducted by Antony Hermus.
