Walther Boer

Coenraad Lodewijk Walther Boer, born as Coenraad Lodewijk Boer, was a Dutch musician, conductor, arranger, music educator and musicologist. Born: September 2, 1891 Died: march 15, 1984 In 1930, C.L. Boer decided to extend his last name. By Royal Decree he added the last name of his mother (Walther) so from that moment on he was called: C.L. Walther Boer. The most populair arrangement of the Dutch National Anthem, Wilhelmus van Nassouwe, originated from his hand. He was educated as a cello player at the Conservatory of Amsterdam. He graduated in 1910 and in 1912 he was awarded with the prestigious "Prix d'Excellence". He became solo cellist at the orchestra of "Casino municipal de Nice" and at the Latvian National Symphony Orchestra of Riga. During WW1 he was quartered in the Dutch Province of Zeeland so now and then he was able to join the Concertgebouworkest, the Residentie Orkest and the Arnhemsche Orkestvereeniging where he became cello soloist and second conductor. In 1919-1920 we was the director of the Concertvereeniging Haarlem's Muziekkorps for a while. On Sept. 15, 1920 C.L. Boer became reserve Lieutenant of the Dutch Infantry and appointed band leader at the Koninklijke Militaire Kapel of The Hague where he was very successful. He arranged a lot of symphonic music for wind orchestra. In 1930 he was promoted to Captain of Grenadiers. At the wedding of Princess Juliana and Prince Bernhard in 1937 he conducted the highly controversial "Horst Wessel Lied" (a nazi song) following the refusal of Peter Van Anrooy to do so as a matter of principle. In 1938 Walther Boer obtained his doctorate in musicology. During WW2 he was moved away by the German occupier to a German prisoner-of-war camp in Poland where he had to organize musical performances. After the liberation of The Netherlands in 1945, Walther Boer immediately restarted the Koninklijke Militaire Kapel . When Queen Wilhelmina returned from England on July 7, 1945 he was able to perform again with a small ensemble at the Royal entrance. On April 30, 1946 Walther Boer was appointed Inspector of Military Music at the Dutch Royal Army and Royal Airforce. At his official withdrawal on May 1, 1963 he was promoted to honorary ranked Brigadier General. Dr. C.L. Walther Boer was known as a very formal and conservative person. He never used his first name and he would always use his title of doctorate. He was a fabulous trainer of orchestras and he was an important contributor to the development of wind orchestra music in The Netherlands.