Advertisement
Music

Post-classical pioneer Joep Beving concludes stunning trilogy with ‘Henosis’

The Dutch musician found an unexpected audience in a streaming upsurge. Claire Jackson catches him live in Amsterdam at a showcase for the final instalment in Beving’s debut trilogy

Joep Beving sits at an upright piano, his back slightly hunched. The instrument appears doll-like against the Dutch pianist’s 6ft 10in frame. The audience waits. The stage is dimly lit by a photograph of hands stretching towards each other, projected on to a screen above the piano. From the darkness comes a gentle keyboard motif that grows in gradual confidence.

Beving coaxes the melody, like a sculptor moulding clay. Cameras flash: this is the first official showcase of Beving’s latest album, Henosis, due for release in April. It’s the third instalment in a trilogy of albums, and concludes an unexpected chapter in Beving’s life that has seen his recordings streamed online over 85 million times – almost accidentally.

It all came as a something of a surprise to Beving, who had been quietly creating music at home in Amsterdam. Encouraged by his family and colleague Rahi Rezvani, with whom he had collaborated during his day job in advertising, Beving decided to share his music with a wider audience. He just didn’t realise how wide that audience would become. His first album, Solipsism, was a hit with streaming service Spotify, with listeners drawn to the contemplative nature of Beving’s simple,beautiful melodies.

Last year he wrote and performed Drone Ballet at Burning Man festival, where an autonomous flying swarm of 300 illuminated drones lit up the sky.

Deutsche Grammophon, whose roster includes electro-classical composer Max Richter and popular composer-pianist Ludovico Einaudi alongside its ‘core’ classical artists, signed Beving right away.

Beving’s sound encompasses solo piano, strings and voice, and straddles the space between pop, electronica and art music – sometimes referred to as ‘post-classical’ music. Last year he wrote and performed Drone Ballet at Burning Man festival, where an autonomous flying swarm of 300 illuminated drones lit up the sky. Like Einaudi, Beving makes his albums available to purchase in sheet music form, so that fans can also play the pieces as well as listen. (The music to Solipsism and Prehension is out now, with Henosis coming soon.)

Advertising helps fund Big Issue’s mission to end poverty
Advertisement

Advertising helps fund Big Issue’s mission to end poverty

Never miss an issue

Take advantage of our special subscription offer. Subscribe from just £9.99 and never miss an issue.

Recommended for you

Read All
Black Country, New Road on 'playing the game' and why you won't see them eating lunch on TikTok
Music

Black Country, New Road on 'playing the game' and why you won't see them eating lunch on TikTok

Saxophonist Alabaster DePlume: 'I want to make music that the world invents a special insult for'
Music

Saxophonist Alabaster DePlume: 'I want to make music that the world invents a special insult for'

'The record is a snapshot': Inside Billy Mahonie’s unlikely comeback and the evolution of post-rock
Billy Mahonie live on stage
Music

'The record is a snapshot': Inside Billy Mahonie’s unlikely comeback and the evolution of post-rock

Women of the Windrush review – a carefully crafted operatic tribute of true stories
Music

Women of the Windrush review – a carefully crafted operatic tribute of true stories

Most Popular

Read All
Renters pay their landlords' buy-to-let mortgages, so they should get a share of the profits
Renters: A mortgage lender's window advertising buy-to-let products
1.

Renters pay their landlords' buy-to-let mortgages, so they should get a share of the profits

Exclusive: Disabled people are 'set up to fail' by the DWP in target-driven disability benefits system, whistleblowers reveal
Pound coins on a piece of paper with disability living allowancve
2.

Exclusive: Disabled people are 'set up to fail' by the DWP in target-driven disability benefits system, whistleblowers reveal

Cost of living payment 2024: Where to get help now the scheme is over
next dwp cost of living payment 2023
3.

Cost of living payment 2024: Where to get help now the scheme is over

Citroën Ami: the tiny electric vehicle driving change with The Big Issue
4.

Citroën Ami: the tiny electric vehicle driving change with The Big Issue