Craeijvanger (Kraayvanger) Trois Nocturnes

Karel Arnoldus Craeyvanger (1817–1868) is mainly remembered as a violinist, singer and choral conductor, yet his few surviving works for solo guitar represent a little-known aspect of early Dutch guitar repertoire. Among these, the Trois Nocturnes, printed by Rahr in Utrecht around 1848, stand out as a privately issued and therefore extremely rare publication.

The original edition is preserved today only as a microfilm copy in the archives of the Nederlands Muziekinstituut, which until now has not been readily accessible for practical use.

This new edition presents a clear transcription of the original print, preserving all phrasing, fingerings and dynamic indications exactly as published. It is not a modern arrangement but a faithful restoration of an otherwise unavailable source.

Musically, the Trois Nocturnes offer a Dutch counterpart to the lyrical nocturne tradition of Giuliani and Mertz — intimate in character, elegant in structure and suited to both performance and scholarly reference.

Transcribed from the original Rahr edition by
Fernando Riscado Cordas