In Memoriam

Jan Labordus (1931-2004)

On August 19, 2004 the timpani world lost one of its greatest exponents in Jan Labordus, timpanist with the Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra of Amsterdam for nearly forty years and professor of timpani at the Conservatory of Amsterdam for more than thirty-five years.

Born in Amsterdam on September 14, 1931, Jan Labordus demonstrated a talent for drumming at an early age.   His path was laid out for him when the family moved to a home just opposite that of the then timpanist with the Concertgebouw Orchestra, Cor Smit.   It was only natural that the budding young drummer would end up studying with his neighbor, who immediately recognized the boy's potential and took him under his wing.   In 1946, the fifteen-year-old student won the Utrecht Symphony audition and joined the orchestra as percussionist.   Two years of military service took him to the Royal Hussars, but the Concertgebouw Orchestra was waiting for his talent.   Still only twenty years old, he was accepted into the renowned orchestra as percussionist and assistant timpanist and within two years he was offered the solo timpanist position, succeeding his esteemed teacher.  

During his tenure with the Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra, Jan Labordus performed with Eduard Van Beinum, Bernard Haitink and Riccardo Chailly as chief conductors as well as with the world's most distinguished guest conductors from Klemperer, Monteux, Von Karajan and the Kleibers, father and son, to Giulini, Dorati and Bernstein. Most of the recordings from the period 1955-1991 feature his artistry on the timpani, and audiences around the world had the opportunity to hear him in person during the orchestra's frequent tours, which took him throughout western and eastern Europe, the United States, Canada, South America, Russia, Japan and South Korea.   Labordus can be heard as a soloist in the orchestra's 1985 recording of Bartók's Concerto for Two Pianos and Percussion (Philips CD 416378-2) under the direction of David Zinman and featuring pianists Martha Argerich and Nelson Freire and percussionist Jan Pustjens (a Labordus student).   Jan Labordus retired from the RCO on November 24, 1991 at the age of sixty.

As a professor at the Conservatory of Amsterdam, Labordus helped many players to a promising career.   The present RCO percussion section, most particularly the two solo timpanists, Marinus Komst and Nick Woud, all studied with him or with his successors, and the orchestras and conservatories throughout the Netherlands are well populated by Labordus students.   Of his numerous international students, many now have important playing and teaching positions in the United Kingdom, Japan, Korea, Spain, Norway, Iceland, Switzerland and other countries.   His conception of the art of the timpani still inspires many students to come to Amsterdam to study with his successors.

Among Jan Labordus' honors was a royal decoration for exceptional services, presented to him during the celebration of the Concertgebouw Orchestra's ninetieth anniversary on November 3, 1978.   In addition, his position as one of the world's top players was confirmed internationally when he was invited to participate on several occasions in the World Philharmonic Orchestra.   He was particularly fond of the symphonies of Mahler and Brahms, the music of Richard Strauss and Stravinsky's Le sacre du printemps.  

With the passing of Jan Labordus, the musical world loses one of the giants of the timpani.   But his spirit lives on in his extensive catalog of recorded performances and in the countless players he inspired and taught.