Ray Charles (1930-2004) was a multitalented and pioneering American pianist and soul singer who became very popular in the late fifties, and remained respected for his music in the decades that followed. By incorporating gospel, jazz, blues, and big band elements, he helped shape the sound of rhythm and blues, and brought a soulful sound to everything from country music to pop standards. Ray Charles embodied the American dream, starting out a poor, blind boy from the southern United States and becoming an international music phenomenon; his nickname was ?the Genius? for a good reasonIn this arrangement for concert band, Peter Kleine Schaars presents five of the songs that contributed to Ray Charles? fame: I Can?t Stop Loving You, Hit the Road Jack, Georgia on My Mind, Hallelujah I Love Her So, and Unchain My Heart.

Based on the poems by German poet Carl Hauptmann (late Romanticism) and the English poet William Wordsworth (early Romanticism). Carl Hauptmann was in poor health as a child but highly intelligent. He studied philosophy psychology and biology. In the latter he was admitted to the degree of doctor. His marriage provided financial independence so that he could focus on his studies. Hauptmann wrote various novels plays poetry and scientific works. Night Twilight floats above the valley's night mists are hanging there's a whispering brook. Now the covering veil is lifting quite: come and look! See the magicland before our gaze: tall as dreams the silver mountains stand crossed by silent silver paths shining from a secret land. Noble pure the dreaming country sleeps. By the path the shadow black and hogh of a beach. a wisp of a white smoke creeps to the dark'ning sky. Where the valley is the darkest hued countless little lights shine silently. O my soul! Drink of solitude! Carl Hauptmann Wordsworth 'introduced' a new type of poetry based on the speech of the common man. This was his answer to the poetry of the classicism which was bound by rigid rules. His definition of poetry was: the spontaneous overflow of powerful feelings from emotions recollected in tranquility. My heart leaps up when I behold a rainbow in the sky My heart leaps up when I behold A rainbow in the sky: So was it when my life began. So is it now I am a man. So be it when I shall grow old Or let me die! The Child is father of the Man. And I could wish my days to be Bound each to each by natural piety. William Wordsworth In a truly poetic manner Harrie Janssen has transformed the contemplative thoughts of the poets into two compositions for Concert Band.

Dans ce pot-pourri notre arrangeur Geert Deforche a utilisé trois grands tubes des années 80 : «You Can?t Hurry Love » de Phil Collins « Walking on Sunshine » de Katrina and the Waves et « The Way to Your Heart » de Soulsister