VIII Suites gecomponeerd voor de Clavecijmbal off Spinet op.1 - Havingha, Gerhardus 1696-1753 (Amsterdam, 1725)
19th-century ms. copy of Le Cène's ed. of 1725
Around 1725 Havingha had a copy printed for his own account by le Cène in Amsterdam: VIII Suites composed for clavecymbel or spinet, dedicated to the mayors of Alkmaar, and meant as a defence of the right of the equal temperament he advocated with conviction; it is mainly as such that this opus has its historical value.
Havingha was organist of the St. Laurenchurch of Alkmaar beginning in 1722. Besides playng the church organ and carillons (as did all Dutch organists), he was keeper of the city's harpsichord. During summers he kept it at home, where he probably directed the local Collegium Musicum for which he wrote music that is lost.
STIMU in Utrecht published a facsimile edition of the La Cène print with an introduction by Clemens Romijn in 1990.
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Keywords: 18th Century (1701-1800); 19th Century (1801-1900); Instrumental music; Suite; Keyboard music; Dance; Alkmaar (Netherlands)