Par PROKOFIEV SERGEI. The Russian ballet director Sergei Diaghilev commissioned many composers to write music for the theatre. This was what caused Serge Prokofiev to compose the four part Scytische Suite (also known as Ala and Lolli) in 1916, from which The Enemy God and the Dance of the Spirits can be heard on this CD. This suite is one of Prokofiev's first works, and received negative criticism following its first performance on account of its being 'uncivilised'. Prokofiev himself wrote after this first performance '. . . The timpani player beat the skin of the timpani to tatters, and the whole orchestra voiced a protest. A cellist complained that he only put up with the violence, createdby the blaring brass, on account of his sick wife and three children. . . '. / Niveau : 5 / Pièce de concert / Répertoire / Concert Band ou Harmonie

Par SCHWARZ OTTO M.. Asteroids and comets have played an important role throughout the history of life on earth. It is quite probable that the dinosaurs have been exterminated by an asteroid's impact in the Gulf of Mexico. Huge tidal waves and fire storms wiped out all life. This is the year 2067 according to the Christian calendar. A collision has just taken place in the asteroid belt between Mars and Jupiter and caused an asteroid to enter the earth's power of gravitation. It is instoppably approaching the blue planet. As its peoples have been fighting each other continuously, they missed the building of a global defence system against dangers coming from space. A scanner records the asteroid andimmediately sends a message to the President of the Anglo-American Union. The probability that the asteroid will hit the earth is judged 50% by the experts. Plans are made to shoot the celestial body with rockets live with hydrogen bombs or laser guns in order to throw it off its track, but they fail. The asteroid's size seems to threaten the existence of mankind. Those in the know stare at the night sky in bewilderment. But for the time being, there is still peace on earth. . . . / Niveau : 4 / Pièce de concert / Répertoire / Concert Band ou Harmonie

Par VAN DER ROOST JAN. Singapura Suite was commissioned by Singapore's Ministry of Education Extracurricular Activities Branch to serve as a compulsory piece for the 1999 Singapore Youth Festival. 'Singapura' is the original name of Singapore in Malay, the native language there. Because Singapore is one of the most important harbors in the world, this two-piece work opens with a seaman's dance. An authentic melody, Chan Mali Chan, is woven into the middle of this first part, whose ABA form becomes clear through the recapitulation of the seaman's dance in a somewhat altered form. Singapore is also a dynamic city-state alive with excitement, thus the second part begins with a fitting dance, a fastbourrée. As contrast there is a second authentic melody, Dayung Sampan, a more easygoing sailing song. This short but curious suite ends in high spirits with a recapitulation of the beginning. / Niveau : 2.5 / Pièce de concert / Répertoire / Concert Band ou Harmonie

Par HOSAY JAMES L.. No one writes more exquisitely patriotic music than James L. Hosay, the former head arranger for “Pershing’s Own” United States Army Band in Washington D. C. Dedicated to the memory of Mr. Hosay’s mentor, Dr. Sydney Berg, this moving symphonic setting of THE STAR SPANGLED BANNER is a rich and compelling way to bring a your concert to a close. Of course it works equally well anywhere the National Anthem would be appropriate for performance. The unusual 4/4 meter setting with artfully crafted reharmonizations and lush counterpoint gives each listener cause to reflect on the importance and meaning of this melody to patriotic Americans everywhere. Inspired! / Niveau : 4 / Ouverture / Répertoire / Concert Band

Par BARNES JAMES. Risoluto is a music term of Italian derivation, first appearing in the mid 1700s. A great many musical terms such as this are in Italian, because many of the important composers from the Renaissance to the Baroque were from the geographic area known today as Italy and spoke some form of Italian. Consequently, performance markings in their published music, widely disseminated through the rest of Europe, were in the language that they best understood. Music marked in this manner is to be played firmly and decisively with firm resolve and little variance from the marked tempo. It can be seen that while there are several stylistic changes in this piece, the tempo varies not a bit, holding firm at Allegro vivo, quarter note at 120, from first measure to last. / Date parution : 2022-09-20/ Répertoire / Concert Band

Par DE HAAN JACOB. The Book of Urizen is a work for concert band, solo soprano, and a male narrator in which sound collages of religious expressions are used. The piece is inspired by the compelling visionary poem of the same name (which the poet illustratedhimself) by the Englishman William Blake (1757-1827), who occupies a unique position in western literature and the visual arts. He was not just a poet and a writer, but he was also a graphic artist, a painter, an illustrator, a spiritualist, areligious visionary, and a mystic philosopher. For the performance of this work, a professional sound system, including two microphones and a CD player, is needed. The three sound collages are three separate tracks on the enclosed CD and can beplayed easily at the right moment. The Book of Urizen bears resemblance to Genesis and Exodus, of which the contents form the basis of the Christian, Jewish, and Islamic faith. Blake adhered to the principle that all religions are in fact one, and that deities reside in human beings. In The Book of Urizen this is represented in “The Net of Religion, ” which is spanned over the earth by Urizen. The sound collages, compiled by Jacob de Haan in the studio, find their origin inJerusalem, the Holy City, where the afore-mentioned faiths “come together. ” In the first movement of this composition, The Vision, Urizen prepares his vision of the world, and he presents this to the “Eternals. ” His vision is rejected, and Urizen locks himself up in his own abstract world. When he does emerge again, he is confronted with rage by the gathered Eternals. Urizen flees the wrath of the Eternals, “the flames of eternal fury, ” and enwombs himself in his own world. Whenthe Eternals see Urizen in his “stony sleep, ” they wonder if this is death. The blacksmith Los is torn by grief because of the isolation of Urizen. It brings him to rouse his fires, prepare his forge, and to give Urizen’s world concrete form. In the second movement, The Creation, Urizen’s world, but also man, woman, and child are created. Los is horrified with the appearance of Urizen’s body. He mourns and pities Urizen, and from his blood a female form comes into being, with thename Enitharmon. The Eternals, fearful of the female form, decide to erect a tent to obstruct their view to eternity. Enitharmon and Los beget a son, called Orc. Los baptizes him as a child of the “fallen world. ” Orc is fed at Enitharmon’s breast, which makes a girdle of jealousy restrict Los’ chest. He takes the child to the top of the mountain and chains him down. The cries of Orc awaken Urizen, who explores his world creating instruments of scientific measurement to do so. Los encircles theface of Enitharmon from the sight of Urizen and Orc. She then populates the earth by giving birth to an enormous race. The Web, third movement of The Book of Urizen is now available: DHP 1125252 / Niveau : 5 / Pièce de concert / Répertoire / Concert Band ou Harmonie

\'A Cry against Facism\'. Par DE MEIJ JOHAN. The Painted Bird, the controversial novel by Jerzy Kosinski (1933-1991), tells the story of a Jewish boy during World War II. For his safety, the child was sent to the Polish countryside by his parents. The title refers to a barbaric tradition among Polish farmers. The wings of a captured bird were painted in bright colors, after which the animal was released. Almost immediately, the bird was attacked and pecked to death by its peers. The boy underwent the same fate. Wherever he wandered, the local rural people cruelly mistreated him because of his distinctly different appearance. However, he survives the horrors and is reunited with his parents after the war. To escape the yoke of the Soviet occupation in his country, the Polish-Jewish Kosinski emigrated with counterfeit papers to the United States in 1957, where he became an American citizen in 1965. His landmark novel The Painted Bird was translated into thirty languages and sold millions of copies. Plagued by illness and accusations of betraying his country and plagiarism the writer ended his life in 1991. / Date parution : 2022-07-30/ Répertoire / Concert Band/Harmonie

Par BULLA STEPHEN. No one brings ?jazzy? styles to the concert band better than Stephen Bulla! Your band will go crazy over this swingin? holiday treat! Rise Up Shepherd also makes a great ?encore? closer for School bands that normally play harder music, simply because it?s so much fun. The melody is passed all around the band letting everyone get a chance to ?swing? into the Christmas spirit. The exuberant joy is infectious. Irresistible! / Niveau : 2 / Musique légère originale / Répertoire / Concert Band ou Harmonie

Arr. John Blanken. Par JOHANSSON JAN. The popular Swedish children's series Pippi Långstrump (Pippi Longstocking) is about an exceedingly strong and strong-willed little girl with red braids - who is the brainchild of Astrid Lindgren. This series has been broadcasted in many countries. I arranged its cheerful theme tune in samba style. Even with the new rhythm, the original song is still very recognizable. In the exuberant samba style, the percussion plays an important role. Within the Långstrump Samba, this is especially clear in the ad libitum percussion solo halfway through the arrangement. The solo can go on as long as desired, and offers plenty of freedom because of the free choice of the instruments used. / Niveau : 3 / Musique légère originale / Répertoire / Concert Band ou Harmonie