Simeon ten Holt

Full biography Simeon ten Holt

Simeon ten Holt was a Dutch minimalist composer who became well-known for his works that involved repetitive themes, drones, and slow-moving harmonies. Born in Bergen, in the Netherlands in 1923, Holt began composing at a young age, studying at both conservatory in Amsterdam and at the Institute for Sonology in Utrecht.

Holt was known for his composition style, which he called "Minimal-maximal." His music often featured very slowly changing textures that transformed the piece into a trance-like state. Holt's composition technique involved constructing long, complex pieces by interlocking simple, repetitive motifs and gradually introducing variations.

His most famous work is Canto Ostinato (1976), a piece written for multiple pianos, in which performers played the same sequence of notes in a loop, gradually introducing subtle changes and variations over successive repetitions. This piece has become an essential part of the minimalist music canon and has been performed worldwide. Holt's other notable works include Lemniscaat (1993) and Horizon (2000).

Holt's music has influenced many composers of a younger generation, and his work continues to inspire new compositions and interpretations. He passed away in 2012, leaving behind him a significant composition legacy that has inspired and influenced many generations of composers and performers.