Hymnus was commissioned by the Wilhelmina Easterein Fanfare Orchestra in the Autumn of 1999 for their performance at the World Music Contest Kerkrade. The commission was the result of a collaboration between the composer and the thenmusical director Marten van der Wal. The exact meaning of the word Hymnus is not known but it is taken in this presentation to mean hymn or hymn-like. The melodic material is organic and grows from an initial unison tone. Thisinterval is gradually expanded to form the cell F E C F a semitone third fifth. The only other melodic motif is the ascending three-note pattern spanning a major third. This is the second of his compositions to use this ascending motif theother being Fanfare for a Bright New Age for Brass Band and Organ also of 2000. These characteristic intervals appear in many contrasting moods and guises throughout the piece. The opening unison notes are intended to convey as sense ofpower and magnificence like the first sounds at the dawning of the universe. After the immense power a period of stunned silence and reverence. The evolution of the hymn melody incorporates a variety of moods and atmospheres sometimes expressing much joy and celebration whilst also suggesting periods of intense savagery or prayerful contemplation. The hymn builds as the piece progresses and is finally stated in its complete form at letter W. The official worldpremiere of the work was given by Wilhelmina Easterein at the World Music Contest 2001. Whilst the composer was unable to attend in person he was able to enjoy the premier simultaneously transmitted via a mobile phone from the audience! Conductors Note The tempo indications are to be viewed as a guide rather than a literal instruction. Within the music there is an innate sense of pulse and metre lending itself to considerable rubato. Melody is king and all else is mere support and decoration careful attention must therefore be given to balance.

Tijdens zijn loopbaan als concertorganist speelde Rob Goorhuis talloze malen de Sonata da Chiesa van Hendrik Andriessen een werk dat typisch is voor de stijl en het coloriet van deze Nederlandse organist-componist. De betekenis van Andriessen voor de Nederlandse kerkmuziek is zeer groot geweest. Vele koor- en orgelwerken ontstonden in de bloeitijd van het rijke Roomse leven. Als eerbetoon aan deze kunstenaar die destijds als organist van de kathedraal van Utrecht talrijke luisteraars trok met zijn kleurrijke en vernieuwende orgelbespelingen schreef Rob Goorhuis een fantasie over het thema van diens Sonata da Chiesa. Deze Sonata bestond uit een reeksvariaties op een zelf ontworpen thema. De sfeer van het werk reikt van zeer intiem tot uiterst uitbundig. Deze uitersten heeft Rob Goorhuis in zíjn interpretatie en verwerking van het thematisch materiaal eveneens opgezocht. De vroomheid en luister van het orgel werden echter vervangen door de passie en de virtuositeit van een modern blaasorkest. De band met het originele werk van Andriessen wordt onderstreept door een aantal soms licht verborgen citaten van bijzondere muzikale wendingen. De handtekening van de oude meester blijft zo herkenbaar. Op deze manier toont Rob Goorhuis zijn bewondering voor diens componeertalent. Het werk werd geschreven in opdracht van fanfare Kunst en Vriendschap Partij-Wittem onder leiding van Paul Oligschläger ter gelegenheid van de deelname aan het Wereld Muziek Concours Kerkrade in 2009.

‘Jubilant Prelude’ is an orchestration of the ‘Preludium over Psalm 150’ originally composed for organ by Toon Hagen. Since 1998 Toon Hagen has been organ-player of the ‘Grote or Sint Michaëlskerk’ in Zwolle (the Netherlands). He has written several ‘contemporary’ compositions for organ.‘Jubilant Prelude’ has a capricious character by the use of irregular measures and its many measure changes. The structure of the Prelude is that of a fugue and is based on motives from the psalm.After the first climax which is both dynamic and harmonic the theme in the Andante Jubiloso is clearly audible and it is alternated with erratic motifs. Tension increases until at last the psalm itself isheard in all its glory. The melody of the psalm sounds as a cantus firmus in tenor register with motifs in ornamentation for saxophones bugles and trumpets. The finale like the prelude is capricious and vehement.The instrumentation for fanfare band was made by Wim Rouw. It is particularly colourful and has a surprising role for the percussion section.

A lone trumpet announces this signature hit by The Doors as the chart settles into the familiar moderate rock groove. Particularly effective is the woodwind feature section simulating the unique sound of the Farfisa organ of the late 60s.

During his short lifetime Max Reger (1873-1916) was a prolific composer with many of his best known works being composed for organ. The ten chorale preludes in this selection are from his set of Thirty Short Chorale Preludes Op.135a composed as short voluntaries for liturgical use rather than for recitals in these arrangements Philip Sparke has kept this in mind and each prelude can be performed with minimal instrumentation for those occasions where a small band is needed. They also make great pieces for band warm-ups or studies in intonation sound and balance.

In the most literal sense: a piece for an occasion. The actual occasion was Jan de Haan?s twentieth anniversary as a conductor of the top Dutch brass band ?Soli Deo Gloria? (Leeuwarden). To mark the occasion the band commissioned the Belgian comopser Jan Van der Roost to create a surprise piece: without knowledge of the person being celebrated a suitable source of inspiration was sought for. After some thought the chorale-theme from Camille Saint-Saëns organ symphony was chosen a piece with which Jan de Haan has a special bond.Apart from this chorale Homage is also based on the names of notes taken from ?Jan de Haan? and ?Soli Deo Gloria? resulting in the tonerow: DEGAH. Both elements are combined together and form a grand climax towards the end of the piece when the whole band unites in the Saint Saëns? theme.

As the title suggests this work is a partita: it consists of a number of variations on a chorale melody. The partita has been popular for centuries especially when it comes to organ music. Henk van Belcum who is active in the choir world chose for his Partita Piccola the German hymn Wunderbarer König as a starting point. Partita Piccola consists of four variations and a choral setting. After a majestic opening fanfare the second variation follows based on a canon by Pachelbel. Händel?s Sarabande is the basis of the third variation. Next comes the chorale setting after which the work ends festively with a dance that has been written in the form of a courante. PartitaPiccola is an asset for church services and for concert platforms.