Ben van Oosten – Organ Celebrities Series

The Westerkerk stands on the Prinsengracht in Amsterdam's Grachtengordel neighborhood, a short distance from the Jordaan. Designed by Hendrick de Keyser in the Dutch Renaissance style and completed by his son Pieter in 1631, it was built as one of the first major churches constructed specifically for Protestant worship in the city, and it remains the largest Protestant church in the Netherlands built for that purpose. The tower, known as the Westertoren, rises 85 meters and is topped by a blue imperial crown, a symbol originally granted to the city by Emperor Maximilian I in 1489. Inside, the three aisled basilica follows a plan of two connected Greek crosses, giving the interior an unusual spatial character. A Duyschot organ and brass chandeliers are among its most notable furnishings, and Rembrandt was buried here in 1669, though the exact location of his grave has been lost. For music, the church is defined above all by its acoustics and its carillon. The largest 14 of the tower's 51 bells were cast by François Hemony in 1658, and the drum mechanism made by Jurriaen Spraeckel from Zutphen in 1659 still chimes every quarter of the hour. This carillon is the only one in Amsterdam that sounds through the full 24 hours. The Hemony bells were removed during the Second World War, an absence that Anne Frank, hiding just blocks away, recorded in her diary with grief. They were later recovered and restored. The church has hosted organ recitals, choir performances and orchestral concerts since the 17th century, and this tradition carries on today. Concerts featuring the Westerkerk organ, its choir and an orchestra are considered among the genuine musical highlights of the city. More recent programming includes series such as Timeless Classics, with performances hosted in the church by ensembles including the Gala Orchestra.