Par ZIEGELBACK ANDREAS. Bleak Forest is a piece for smaller concert bands and offers the musicians above all space to improve their sound and their effect playing. The technical requirements are therefore deliberately kept low. With this piece, the composer won the VLAMO International Composition Contest 2022. Thematically, the work is influenced by the composer's childhood memories. In his hometown there was a dark and mysterious forest, that seemed to the children in the small village to be magical. Without a reasonable explanation, every trip into the woods was exciting and somewhat terrifying. There were tales of dangerous animals, which can be heard at the beginning of the piece, as well as magical beasts. The magic of the forest is depicted musically from bar 70 in the andante section. The snapping of the fingers represents single raindrops. From bar 99 onwards, we hear the trek home, with the occasional moments of trepidation as the children spook each other with their fanciful tales. In the end, though, we arrive safely at home because after all, magical beasts only exist in fairy tales… don’t they? Andreas Ziegelbäck studied music education at the Mozarteum University in Salzburg, and history at the Paris Lodron Universität, Salzburg. In addition to his studies, he trained in ensemble conducting for wind orchestra with conductor and composer Thomas Doss. It was Doss who sparked Ziegelbäck’s interest in composing. In 2021, Andreas Ziegelbäck completed his composition studies with Johannes Maria Staud. In 2020, he took part in a brass band composition masterclass in Bern with Oliver Waespi, followed by a premiere by the Swiss Army Brass Band. / Date parution : 2023-10-31/ Répertoire / Concert Band / Harmonie

Par JEANBOURQUIN MARC. Le General Sherman est un séquoia géant situé dans le parc national de Sequoia, en Californie. Le naturaliste James Wolverton le baptisa en l’honneur du fameux général américain William Tecumseh Sherman. Le caractère imposant de ce séquoia a inspiré le compositeur, mais l’introduction pourrait aussi faire penser au Général Sherman qui arrive au loin. Marc Jeanbourquin a imaginé ce que pouvait être cet arbre dans toute sa grandeur, cherchant à grimper dans les feuillages pour trouver la lumière au sommet. Mais des passages énergiques indiquent que la présence du général n’est jamais loin. L’œuvre s’achève avec une réminiscence du thème initial, pleine de mystère. / Date parution : 2023-08-12/ Répertoire / Concert Band/Harmonie

(with opt. unison vocal). Par HOLST GUSTAV. This populat British patriotic hymn features a poem by Sir Cecil Spring Rice set to the familiar chorale melody from “Jupiter” by Gustav Holst. It is associated with Remembrance Day services throughout the United Kingdom, and has long been a favorite of the British royal family. This stately setting for band includes an optional part for unison voices. / Date parution : 2023-10-31/ Répertoire / Concert Band/Harmonie