Track Clear ~ Laisser passez !-Eduard Strauss the third son of Johann Strauss the Elder was born on March 15 1835 in Vienna. Originally Eduard looked for employment in the diplomatic service but he also studied music theory. He became a harpist in the Strauss orchestra in 1855. In 1862 he joined his two famous brothers Johann Jr. and Josef as a conductor of the family orchestra. Like that of his two brothers his musical output was prolific: he wrote over 320 separate dances and marches. Apart from the exuberant Bahn Frei (Track Clear) which he wrote in 1869 and a handful of other fast polkas (he excelled in this particular dance form) his music is not as well known as that of his brothers.

Commissioned for the 2012 South Carolina All-State High School Band Jay's impressive three-movement suite based on melodies from the early American ?Sacred Harp? singing tradition is a masterwork of dramaticorchestrational devices. ?Stratfield? opens with a striking statement by the saxes and double reeds then builds intensity using woodwind flourishes and soaring brass lines. ?Idumea? begins in a quiet anddelicate manner then gives way to thundering percussion and striking harmonic effects. The joyous ?Pisgah? has a barn dance quality that provides the perfect conclusion to this powerful work for winds. Dur: c. 8:00

This hymn was commissioned by ?Antwerpen 93?. And this city on the banks of the river Schelde has been nominated ?Cultural Capital of Europe? for 1993. The work-group ?animatie? took the initiative and commissioned a hymn which -as the finale to a grand open-air event on 27th March- was premièred by hundreds of musicians from all over Europe. Philippe Langlet (France) was the conductor at this majestic occasion.Musically speaking the piece can no doubt be labeled easy. Indeed it is meant to represent a hymn playable by all in different instrumental combinations. Consequently a variable instrumentation was chosen and a type of music which by native is easily accessible anduncomplicated.The conductor is free -in the instrumentation- to score this piece according to his own taste. It is perhaps advisable to use the sharp brass in the forte parts in order to make the range in the sound of the orchestra as colouful as possible. The percussion parts are not absolutely essential so that the hymn can also be performed without percussion.