Highlights from the Lowlands Dutch painting is world famous. Every year, thousands of tourists flock to the Lowlands to admire paintings by Rembrandt, Vermeer, Frans Hals, Van Gogh and Mondriaan. How different is the fame of Dutch music! After Jan Pieterszoon Sweelinck, born in 7562, not a single Dutch composer has been able to achieve lasting success outside of the Netherlands. Yet there is no lack of talent among Dutch composers. Especially in the beginning of the 20th century, Dutch music had its own distinctive signature and there was a robust musical culture. Holland had always been susceptible to the powerful cultural influences of its larger neighbors, France and Germany. This was certainly true in the 19th century when Holland was under the sway of German musical traditions. This began to change towards the beginning of the 20th century with French music becoming more popular, although this was partially due to the strength of a new school of French composers, the political and cultural climate in th