Jonny Heykens
Encyclopedia
Jonny Heykens was a Dutch composer of light classical music, remembered above all for his jaunty Ständchen (Serenade) No.1 Opus 21.
Heykens was born at Groningen. He was taught violin by Eugene Ysaye
at the Brussels Conservatory. He played in various orchestras before founding his own orchestra in Groningen in 1914. After the First World War he toured Europe and achieved great popularity, especially in Germany. Heykens composed pieces for his orchestra, plus songs and musical comedies. His records sold widely. He died at Hilversum
.
In Japan the Serenade became a popular song, and so it was selected in 1943 by NHK
, The Broadcasting Corporation of Japan, as the signature tune of "The Evening Show for the Front Line", a radio programme to entertain serving Japanese soldiers
and sailors
. After WWII
, Japan National Railways (JNR) chose part of the serenade for use in its passenger cars. It is still used on some of Japan Railway (JR) trains.
Heykens was born at Groningen. He was taught violin by Eugene Ysaye
Eugène Ysaÿe
Eugène Ysaÿe was a Belgian violinist, composer and conductor born in Liège. He was regarded as "The King of the Violin", or, as Nathan Milstein put it, the "tzar"...
at the Brussels Conservatory. He played in various orchestras before founding his own orchestra in Groningen in 1914. After the First World War he toured Europe and achieved great popularity, especially in Germany. Heykens composed pieces for his orchestra, plus songs and musical comedies. His records sold widely. He died at Hilversum
Hilversum
is a municipality and a town in the Netherlands, in the province of North Holland. Located in the region called "'t Gooi", it is the largest town in that area. It is surrounded by heathland, woods, meadows, lakes, and smaller villages...
.
In Japan the Serenade became a popular song, and so it was selected in 1943 by NHK
NHK
NHK is Japan's national public broadcasting organization. NHK, which has always identified itself to its audiences by the English pronunciation of its initials, is a publicly owned corporation funded by viewers' payments of a television license fee....
, The Broadcasting Corporation of Japan, as the signature tune of "The Evening Show for the Front Line", a radio programme to entertain serving Japanese soldiers
Imperial Japanese Army
-Foundation:During the Meiji Restoration, the military forces loyal to the Emperor were samurai drawn primarily from the loyalist feudal domains of Satsuma and Chōshū...
and sailors
Imperial Japanese Navy
The Imperial Japanese Navy was the navy of the Empire of Japan from 1869 until 1947, when it was dissolved following Japan's constitutional renunciation of the use of force as a means of settling international disputes...
. After WWII
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
, Japan National Railways (JNR) chose part of the serenade for use in its passenger cars. It is still used on some of Japan Railway (JR) trains.