Rynoldus (Reijnold) Jurjens Popma van Oevering was born in the small village Warga (Wergea in Frisian) in the northern province Frisia of the Dutch Republic, close to the province capital Leeuwarden [1,2]. He was baptized on January 6 in 1692. His father, Jurjen Harmens Oevering, was a schoolmaster, organist and theologian in the village. His mother, damsel Jeltje Reinsdochter Popma, was raised at the village's local mansion Roordastate. His father was appointed as organist and teacher at the Latin school in the nearby city of Sneek in 1706 and the family moved to the Kleine Kerkstraat in Sneek.
On September 16, 1712 (at the age of 20) Reijnold became himself organist at the Galileërkerk (Galilean church) in Leeuwarden and on February 26, 1713 city-organist and carilloneur at the Grote of Jacobijnerkerk (Large or Jacobin church). Later that year he maried Sara Jans Ketel, daughter of a goldsmith in Leeuwarden [6] with whom he had six children.
Reijnold Popma van Oevering became an influencial church mucisian. In 1724 he was sent to the western provinces of the Republic to find an organ builder for the new organ of the Grote Kerk in Leeuwarden [4]. Christian Müller was finally chosen to build the famous main organ of the church. The organ was inaugurated on March 19, 1727 among others by Popma.
Popma must have become quite wealthy since in 1720 it was registered that he lent 500 guilders to the widow of the chamberlain Hendrik Wassenaer of the Staten at Leeuwarden [6]. To compare, he earned 250 guilders a year for his first organist post.
He remained organist till 1741 and carilloneur till 1757 (at the age of 65). He appeared to have obtained the mansion Roordastaate where his mother was born [3]. His wife Sara died around 1775 and his granddaughter Catharina Schiffart moved in to help him. In 1779 he bought a house at the St-Jacobsstraat in Leeuwarden. Catherina died in March 1781, 8 months before her grandfather, after which a curator was appointed for the physically and mentally weakened Popma [5]. On November 3, 1781, Popma died at the age of 89.
To date, only three works by Popma are known: a hand-written psalm book, a single work for carillon and his Opus 1“VI suittes voor 't Clavier”(VI suites for the keyboard). This work was published by Estienne Roger in Amsterdam [6]. It is mentioned in Roger's catalog of 1712, but since the dedication of the work refers to Johan Willem Friso van Nassau-Dietz, statholder of Frisia, still being alive, the work must have been published in 1710 (at the age of 18) since Johan Willem Friso died in 1711.
In 1955, Hans Brandts Buys published an edition of the VI suites at G. Alsbach Publisher.
(Uitgave XLVI van de Vereniging van Nederlanse Muziekgeschiedenis) [7]. At klavescribo.eu a portion of the suites can be found, set in klavescribo [8], and beumingguitar.com contains some arrangements for guitar. [9]
In 2017, harpsichordist and organist Bob van Asperen recorded the VI suited on harpsichord and organ, including the piece for carillon on CD. [10]
1. Wikipedia, Reijnold Popma van Oevering Wikipedia, in Dutch
2. Website Frisian Music Archive, Rynoldus Popma van Oevering, in Dutch
3. Website Staten en Stinze, Roordastaten, in Dutch
4. Website Grote Kerk Leeuwarden, Müller Organ, in Dutch
5. Archive Leeuwarden
6. Rudolf Rasch, The Music Publishing House of Estienne Roger and Michel-Charles Le Cène
7. Google books, zes suites voor klavier, edition Hans Brandt Buys
8. Klavescribo.eu: edition in klavescribo
9. Beumingguitar.com, arrangement for guitar
10. Listen to fragments of Bob van Asperen's recording:
Muziekweb and
Youtube 
