Hanseatic Suite

This composition was composed within the framework of the Hanseatic Days, held in 1990 in the Dutch cities of Deventer and Zutphen. The medieval hanseatic towns, along the river IJssel are central in this four piece suite.

The first part is a stately image of the town of Deventer. The small town of Doesburg is introduced next in a lively and playful 3/4 time. The town of Kampen is central in the third movement, in the form of a dignified court dance, the pavane. The suite comes to a close with a triumphal reproduction of the town of Zutphen.

Jacob de Haan: “I composed this work when I lived in one of these Hanseatic cities, named Deventer. The occasion was the Hanseatic festivities in this city. The world premiere, conducted by Piebe Bakker, was however in one of the other Hanseatic cities, Zutphen”.