Eyssen, Stephen

 

b. Montagu, 23 May, 1890

d. Pretoria, 11 April 1981

 

South African composer. Stephen Eyssen spent most of his formative years in Stellenbosch. The enthusiasm for the Afrikaans language of Gordon Tomlinson and Dr Tobie Muller becoming a decisive moment in shaping his career. After matriculating at the Jongens Hogere School in Stellenbosch, he entered the Normal College in Cape Town as a student for the teacher’s diploma. He taught for a while, then entered for the BA degree at the newly constituted University of Stellenbosch in 1918. He graduated in 1920. During the early years he was also trained in music at the Stellenbosch Conservatoire of Music, resuming an interest which had been rooted in his childhood by his parents. His enthusiasm for Afrikaans found a musical outlet when he was approached by the Werda Commission for a vocal contribution for a festival of Afrikaans culture in the Cape Town City Hall. There were no suitable songs in Afrikaans, so he composed what became known as his Segelied for the occasion. At a later date (1920) he acted as the leader of a concert group of students who toured in aid of charity. Eyssen ensured that all the items on their programme were printed in either Afrikaans or Dutch. 

 

From 1921 to 1933, Eyssen taught Afrikaans at the Hoër Volkskool in Heidelberg, and from 1934 until 1948 he was the principal of this school. A few years later, he resigned to enter politics and became, for the next ten years, the Member of Parliament for the Heidelberg constituency. In the latter year he surrendered his seat to Hendrik Verwoerd, and then settled near Pretoria where he occasionally acted as a locum in the teaching profession and became a respected personality on the local cultural scene. 

 

Folk song was his particular forte. He became well known in South Africa as a leader of mass singing at Kruger Festivals, at the inauguration of the Voortrekker Monument in 1949, and at numerous cultural gatherings. This identification with the Afrikaner cause is reflected in many of his own songs and large-scale compositions. As a baritone singing solo, at times in duets with his wife, but also as a public speaker and lecturer, he championed the cause of South African composers and of the emerging art song in Afrikaans. In 1930 and 1932 he recorded Afrikaans national music for the companies Columbia and His Masters Voice. Eyssen served on the Music Commission of the FAK and was an obvious choice to act as co-editor of the first FAK Volksangbundel (1937). He was also actively involved in the preparation of the New Sangbundel, published in 1961. 

 

The South African Academy of Science and Arts awarded him a medal of honour in 1969 for his musical contribution to Afrikaans culture.

 

WORKS:
 

Published:

Normal College student’s song (Latin and English) (1911) 

 

Segelied (1914) 

 

Memoria, gewy aan die nagedagtenis van die epidemieslagoffers van Swart Oktober (1919) 

 

Komaan (1932) 

 

Die murasie, two-part song (1937) 

 

FAK sangbundel (1937) and Nuwe FAK-sangbundel (1961) 

 

Saam met die wa (1938) 

 

Fugit Imago (1947) 

 

Wiegelied (1942) 

 

Ons Boerwording, 1486-1949, ‘n sangbeeld (1942) 

 

Bybelkantate (own compilation from the Bible and hymn book) (1943) 

 

Voortrekkers Bpk. (1944) 

 

Goue vrug (own words), (1944) 

 

Van der Stel se verjaarsdagfees (1946) 

 

Die Veepos, three-part song (Totius) (1947) 

 

Die Lewerkie (1947)

 

Arrangements:

 

Picnic songs in collaboration with C.J. Langenhoven (1937 and 1961)

 

Writings:

 

Dr A.G.Visser. Die Christelike Skoolblad, Sept. 1929 

 

Kultuurvak op skool. Tydskrif vir middelbare onderwys, 1935 

 

Afrikaanssprekendes in die Unie se musiekwêreld. Die Transvaler, 3 Oct. 1938

 

Die orrelis en die gemeente. Jaarboek, N.H. Sustersvereniging, 1946 

 

Musieklewe in die Boerekamp, 1949 

 

Die singende Kaapstadse Maleiers. Jaarblad, Hoër Tegniese Skool John Vorster, 1963 

 

Uit my herinneringe, articles published in Die Oosterlig, 1968