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The present complex of concert halls for every musical genre was built in 1979 after the design of Herman Hertzberger and after a thorough renovation reopened in 2014. The main hall has 1700 seats in the shape of an amphitheatre. Instead of a symphonic organ, a case with a neo-baroque organ by Van Vulpen was installed on the platform in 2017. There are 23 busts of composers, including the Utrecht born Schat and Wagenaar and the jazz musician Miles Davis.

Important yearly festivals are the world-famous Festival Oude Muziek for ancient music (early autumn; also on other locations in the city) and the Gaudeamus Muziekweek for contemporary music.

www.oudemuziek.nl www.muziekweek.nl

The former church Buurkerk houses a vast collection of all kinds of mechanic instruments and piano rolls; don’t miss the Haydn-Niemecz organ. www.museumspeelklok.nl

On the location of the first public concert hall, the Stads Muzyck-Zaal (1767), arose in 1875 the Gebouw voor Kunsten en Wetenschappen (‘K&W’), which was opened with an appearance of Henri Litolff; other performers include the Schumanns, Brahms, Anton Rubinstein, Vieuxtemps and Wieniawski.

The building was also the first seat of the Toonkunst-Muziekschool , established in 1875 and the precursor of the present Conservatory. This now occupies a former hospital next to the K&W building, its auditorium since 1974. In 1988 K&W was partly destroyed by fire, but the outer walls are extant.

Other concert halls included the more informal Tivoli at the Kruisstraat, where Richard Strauss appeared in 1903, (demolished) and the provisional Nieuwe Tivoli at the Lepelenburg (closed in 1979).

Cabinet organ by Gideon Bätz, 1796, I/6. Main organ by Johan and Jonathan Bätz from 1831 in a remarkable white case; III/p/50; of the 3698 pipes, 1013 are from its predecessor by Peter Jansz from 1571.In the paving of the Domplein (near nr. 21) a plaque was placed for Jacob van Eyck (1590-1657), flutist and carillonist, moreover author of a fine collection of solo flute compositions: Der Fluyten Lusthof, 1644-46.

Winter house of the writer and composer Belle van Zuylen, alias Madame de Charrière (1740-1805). A remarkable woman with numerous contacts with artists and intellectuals, Dutch and foreign. In 1771 she married the Swiss de Charrière and moved to Colombier, near Neuchatel.

The portrait is by Quentin de la Tour.

Mozart stayed in April 1766 at the hotel Plaets Royale in this street (nr.21, now the church of St. Willibrord). Plaque in the pavement in front of nr. 11, the location of a dance hall where the Mozarts could practice for their concert at 21 April in a guildhall at the Vreeburg (not extant).

Brahms has stayed sometimes at nr. 9 with the clockmaker and amateur violinist Jacobus Haak.

Birthplace of the conductor Willem Mengelberg, °1871. His father had an atelier of ecclesiastical art and many Catholic churches, especially in Utrecht, were decorated by him. Shortly after Willem’s birth the family moved to the more spacious house at Maliebaan 80. For Mengelberg, > nl1.1032-33.

House of Richard Hol (1825-1904), conductor, organist at the Domkerk and director of the Utrecht music school. His most popular compositions are his numerous children’s songs, incl. In een blauwgeruite kiel, Waar de blanke top der duinen, In naam van Oranje doe open de poort). 

Nieuwe Gracht 14, the present Maltezerhuis, was the house of Johan Wagenaar from 1912 to 1919. Wagenaar (1862-1941) was, like his teacher Richard Hol, a leading figure in the musical life of Utrecht (organist of the Domkerk, director of the music school). His compositions include some compelling overtures in Richard Strauss style and the humorous cantata De Schipbreuk (the shipwreck). In 1919 he became director of the Royal Conservatory in The Hague.

In this historical house, built in 1558 as part of a nunnery, Johan Wagenaar spent his young years. He was the son of the aristocratic Cypriaan Berger van Hengst and the housemaid Johanna Wagenaar and lived here with his mother under her surname.

A Wagenaar monument, formerly at the opposite side (Servaasbolwerk), was moved to a suburban district (> 1021).

House of the singer and composer Catharina van Rennes (1855-1940). She held a children’s singing school from 1887-1933, called Bel Canto (until 1901 at the Pieterskerkhof). Also singing teacher of the future queen Juliana and of the well known soprano Jo Vincent.

House of the composer Hendrik Andriessen from 1934 to 1949, then organist at the Cathedral of St. Catherine and director of the Utrecht Conservatory. Birthplace of his son Louis (1939), today the internationally best known Dutch composer, and home of his elder son, the composer Jurriaan A. (1925-1996) before he left for the USA.

House of Brahms's friend prof. Theodor Engelmann until 1889. Visits by Brahms (from 1874), Clara Schumann and Joseph Joachim. The host organized concerts at home with a steady music circle, his Muziekkring.

House of prof. Theodor Engelmann from 1889, with larger music room. Visits by Brahms (1891) and Grieg (1897).

Maliebaan 80 was the parental home of Willem Mengelberg.

Present location of the monument of Johan Wagenaar by Wim Odé.

Birthplace of Belle van Zuylen (>1006). The castle is very worth seeing.

Birthplace of Willem Pijper, °1894. Today a dress shop, but the restored façade held the original look. (For Pijper, > nl3.2111)

House of Julius Röntgen from 1925 until his death in 1932; the house, designed by Röntgen’s son, was build in the shape of a grand piano. Today it is the seat of the Stichting Gaudeamus for promotion of contemporary music.

School for the complete training of carillonists with the rank of a conservatory, established in 1953. Besides it is a centre of promotion and information about carillons and carillon playing.

www. hku.nl

Remarkable organ by Albert Kiespenning, 1631, in a case from the middle of the 16^th century. II/p/19.

In the same church is a romantic English organ by Harrison & Harrison from 1883 with two fronts at an angle. Equally II/p/19.

Summer house of the composer Alphons Diepenbrock. Composition of the incidental music to Aristophanes’ play The Birds (De Vogels, 1917).

This church is a famous location for the yearly performances of Bach’s Mathäus Passion by the Nederlandse Bachvereniging, established in 1921. Traditionally the listeners include members of the Dutch Government. The organ is by Bätz/Witte 1862, III/p/44.

Last house of the great Swiss composer Frank Martin (1890-1974). He lived in Holland since 1946 and moved here in 1956. His widow, Maria Boeke (*1915), held  the supervision of the house with its original furniture until her death in 2017. It was also the seat of the Frank Martin Society. The villa was sold in 2021, the large archive and the majority of the furniture and memorabilia found a new home in an apartment in Almere.

In this striking building from 2006 in Hilversum, the Dutch broadcasting city, over a million hours of audiovisual material is stored, including radio- and TV transmissions, films, documentaries and music. Next to an archive, it is a museum, divided in 15 thematic departments. One can spend here a whole day.

www.beeldengeluid.nl