New app brings Holland's musical heritage to life

Entitled “The Hague – International City of Music in the 18th Century”, conductor Simon Murphy and The Hague's Baroque orchestra, The New Dutch Academy (NDA), have developed a new musical walking tour and “app” bringing the richly international music traditions of cosmopolitan Dutch court city of The Hague to life.

Featuring beautifully engraved historical maps, 18th century paintings and Murphy and the NDA's world première recordings of symphonic music by composers at The Hague's 18th century court of Orange, the app offers an up-to-date, engaging, multi-media guided tour of The Hague's vibrant 18th century cultural scene.

           

Witnessing regular visits from European musical superstars including Mozart and Beethoven, the musical life of The Hague flourished in the 18th century. The city maintained several permanent orchestras, numerous opera houses and diverse concert series, and became a highly influential, international centre of music publishing, during the glittering cultural era of Princess Anna and her son Prince William the 5th.

Incorporating the results of more than a decade of scholarly research and musical exploration, the new app makes this valuable Dutch musical heritage accessible to the general public for the very first time.

Watch the App Trailer

Download the app directly on iTunes (for Apple products including iPhone and iPad), for Android (for example Samsung) on Google Play or via the NDA's website. The app is now available in Dutch with an English version becoming available in March 2014.

Listen to Murphy's world première CD recording “Symphonies from the 18th Century Court of Orange in The Hague” with the New Dutch Academy Orchestra on Pentatone Classics (PTC 5186 365)

Project Partners:

Based on research by conductor Simon Murphy and historian Corry Klugkist, the app has been developed by the New Dutch Academy in co-operation with Dutch designer Crisja Ran and Dutch app developer Martin de Lang and his team at MDL Solutions. Other project partners include the Hague's Historical Museum, BNG Cultuurfonds and Rabobank Stimuleringsfonds Den Haag.