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Top 10 Interesting Facts about Dolf van der Linden

Dolf van der Linden was a famous Dutch music conductor and composer who was born on June 22, 1915, in Vlaardingen, Netherlands. He was the son of a music dealer who owned several musical instrument shops. 

Dolf van der Linden started his career early and made his mark as an accomplished composer in a career that spanned over six decades. His compositions exceed 200; he also wrote the music for several Dutch films, numerous radio plays, lyrical dramas, and operettas

He died in Hilversum in 1999 and a copy of his biography, written by Bas Tukker, was presented to his younger brother Rob on On 22 June 2015, at his 100^th birthday celebrations.

1. Dolf van der Linden Started his Career at an Early Age

Due to his father鈥檚 involvement with music as a music instruments dealer, Dolf came into direct contact with music at a very early age. His father, himself an excellent violin player, gave him his first violin lesson, as well as tuition in music theory when he was only seven years old.

Gradually, music became his full-time life engagement. This caused him to abandon his school education at an early age to enter his music father’s business as an aspiring piano tuner.

He later joined a music academy where he learned the art of music composition as he continued to learn violin and piano playing.

2. He Conducted 13 Dutch Eurovision Entries

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Dolf van der Linden conducted thirteen Netherlands national finals and an equal number of Dutch entries in the international contest, of which two were victorious: 鈥楴et als toen鈥� (1957) and 鈥楨en beetje鈥� (1959). Moreover, he was the musical director of the festivals organized in the Netherlands in 1958 and 1970.

.In 1969 he refused to go to the Eurovision Song Contest in Spain, claiming that Francoist Spain reminded him too much of his experiences in World War II. Frans de Kok stepped in what turned out to be another winning entry.

He is considered the most successful conductor in the contest ever, having been part of the winning team on three occasions.

3. He Founded the Metropole Orchestra

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Shortly after the end of world 2 in 1945, Dolf picked famous musicians from across the Netherlands to form Metropole Orchestra. They included Benny Behr and Sem Nijveen both violists, Kees Verschoor a clarinetist, and Manny Oets a pianist.

Under Dolf’s leadership, The Metropole Orchestra became one of the most refined ensembles of its kind in Europe. This was due to his own enthusiasm and aspirations with outstanding technical qualities.

Dolf van der Linden led the ensemble for 35 years until he stepped down in 1980. The Metropole Orkest is known for its performances of world music and classic jazz works and has worked with many prominent artists.

4. He made a Number of Appearances as A Guest on B.B.C

In addition to his regular radio and recording activities, Dolf also made a number of successful guest appearances with the British Broadcasting Corporation, Swedish, Norwegian, Danish, Belgian, French, and Dutch radios, as well as Israel.

 Dolf was also regularly invited to England. During the Nord Ring Festival in 1977, Dolf won an award (given once only) for the best conductor. In September 1981 he conducted the BBC Radio Orchestra in Jersey at the Nord Ring Festival where the Dutch team was awarded the first prize and named as Festival winners.

5. He was a Successful Composer

Dolf van der Linden certainly made his mark as a composer. His compositions exceed 200; he also wrote the music for several Dutch films, numerous radio plays, lyrical dramas, and operettas.

Some of his best-known works include 鈥楤low the Horn鈥�, Humoresque for Strings鈥�, 鈥楩orest Fantasy鈥�, Pennsylvania Dutch鈥�, 鈥楯ack the Dancer鈥�, 鈥楻iding into Happiness鈥�, 鈥楯amaica Road鈥� and 鈥楩actory Town鈥�.

On 22 June 2015, which would have been van der Linden’s 100th birthday, the Metropole Orchestra played a concert of his compositions and arrangements.

6. He was named 鈥淒olf鈥� by his Colleague

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Before World War II, David Gijsbert van der Linden played in some different bands as a pianist and tried his hand at arranging music for these bands. His colleagues started calling him “Dolf” because he reminded them of a former colleague with that name.

Dolf continued to work with these bands for a number of years still looking for new jobs in other bigger bands. He tried everything from contacting leading orchestras to playing in dance bands and other small orchestral combinations.

He was an arranger for a dance band that toured from town to town. Between 1936 and 1939 he became a regular arranger for different radio orchestras.

7.   He Received the Golden Harp Award

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In 1995 Dolf was awarded a Golden Harp for his outstanding achievements in entertainment music in the Netherlands. At the awards ceremony, he conducted the Metropole Orchestra for the one last time.

The Golden Harp is awarded annually to Dutch musicians for their entire oeuvre. Golden Harps have been awarded 42 times. 149 different persons or groups have had the honor of receiving the award which is considered to be one of the most important prizes in Dutch music. 

8. The Basement of the MCO Building Houses his Music Collections

Dolf van der Linden founded the Metropole Orchestra in 1945 and remained in his post until 1980. During this period he composed and arranged many hundreds of pieces, in very different genres.

The basement of the MCO building on Hilversumse Heuvellaan contains about 5 kilometers of sheet music, in which the collection of the Metropole Orkest fills a large number of cabinets.

For decades he wrote music for his orchestra ranging from the radio play to music for the Toon Hermans film Monsieur Moutarde by Sonansee. He also wrote countless compositions and arrangements in the field of entertainment music and jazz for the Metropole Orchestra.

9. Most of his Work Remains Unpublished

Because his activities spanned a very wide field, he rarely received ‘documented recognition’ for his entire oeuvre.

The fact that much of his work has not been published but has remained in handwriting has also made it difficult to obtain an overview for the ‘uninitiated’. In addition, he wrote a lot of music for film and TV, genres that usually escape the standard works lists.

10. He conducted Eurovision winning Song  “All Kinds of Everything”

In the 1970 contest in Amsterdam, van der Linden was asked by RT脡 to step in and conduct “All Kinds of Everything” by Dana.

All Kinds of Everything” is a song written by Derry Lindsay and Jackie Smith which was performed and won Eurovision Song Contest representing Ireland. The song marked a return to the ballad form from the more energetic performances which had dominated Eurovision the previous years.