Anton Bruckner (1824-1896). Par BRUCKNER ANTON. Anton Bruckner (b. 4.9.1824, Ansfelden, d. 11.10.1896, Vienna) didn’t have it easy. Throughout his life, the Austrian composer was plagued by self-doubt. Anton Bruckner came from a simple, rural background. After the death of his father, he was accepted as a choirboy at the monastery of Sankt Florian in 1837. After several years as a school assistant and his own organ and piano studies, he first worked as organist in St. Florian, then from 1855 as cathedral organist in Linz. Introduced to music theory and instrumentation by Simon Sechter and Otto Kitzler, he discovered Richard Wagner as an artistic role model, whom he admired throughout his life and also visited several times in Bayreuth. In 1868 Anton Bruckner became professor of basso continuo, counterpoint and organ at the Vienna Conservatory; ten years later court organist; and in 1891 finally honorary doctor of the University of Vienna. He was considered an important organ virtuoso of his era, but had to wait a long time for recognition as a composer. It was not until Symphony No.7 in E major, composed between 1881 and 1883, with the famous Adagio written under the effects of Wagner's death, that he achieved the recognition he had hoped for, even if he was reluctant to accept it given his inclination towards scepticism and self-criticism. Anton Bruckner was a loner who did not want to follow a particular school or doctrine. He composed numerous sacred vocal works, such as his three masses, the Missa Solemnis in B flat minor (1854), the Te Deum (1881-84) and numerous motets. As a symphonic composer, he wrote a total of nine symphonies and many symphonic studies from 1863 onwards, tending to revise completed versions several times over. Bruckner's orchestral works were long considered unplayable, but in fact were merely exceptionally bold for the tonal language of their time, uniting traditions from Beethoven through Wagner to folk music, on the threshold between late Romanticism and Modernism. Anton Bruckner composed about 40 motets during his lifetime, the earliest a setting of Pange lingua around 1835, and the last, Vexilla regis, in 1892. Thomas Doss has compiled some of these motets in this volume for symphonic wind orchestra. These motets show many characteristics of personal expression, especially Bruckner's colourful harmony in the earlier works, which is in places aligned with Franz Schubert (changes between major and minor; and movements in thirds). Later works are characterised by many components which, in addition to the expanded stature of the movements, include above all a sense of the instrumentation as an outward phenomenon and the harmony as a compositional feature that works more internally. Some aspects of Bruckner's work are the result of his long period of study, which familiarised him not only with the tradition of his craft, but also gave him insights into the 'modernity' of his time in such composers as Wagner, Liszt and Berlioz. From this developed his personal standpoint, which always pursues the connection between the old and the new. / Date parution : 2023-07-31/ Répertoire / Concert Band/Harmonie

From 'Harry Potter and the Philisopher's Stoine'. Par WILLIAMS JOHN / ROGERS SCOTT (Arr.). Hedwig's Theme is the easily recognizable melody that musically binds together all of the Harry Potter films. Composer John Williams has used the tune as a leitmotif, setting it in different moods according to the situations in the movie, yet always reminding the listener of it’s connection to the main characters of the film. The melody is intervalic, with many interesting dissonances. Normally, this would make the tune difficult for young players, but their familiarity with this particular melody gives them easier access to these dissonances and unusual intervals. / Date parution : 2023-07-31/ Répertoire / Concert Band/Harmonie

Classical Highlights and Original Works for Concert Band. Par CESARINI FRANCO. LES CD Le premier CD (Classic) propose 8 enregistrements d’oeuvres de musique classique arrangées par Franco Cesarini:: Festmusik der Stadt Wien - Richard Strauss L'Arlésienne Suite No. 2 from the Incidental Music - Georges Bizet (I. Pastorale II. Intermezzo III. Menuet IV. Farandole) Nimrod from 'Enigma Variations', Op. 36 - Edward Elgar Galop from 'Dance of the Hours' - Amilcare Ponchielli Interlude from the Cantata Sången, Op. 44 - Wilhelm Stenhammar Coronation March from the Opera 'Le Prophète” - Giacomo Meyerbeer Psyché et Éros from the Symphonic Poem 'Psyché' - César Franck Radetzky-Marsch, Op. 228 - Johann Strauss Sr. Le deuxième CD (Contemporary) comprend 6 enregistrements d'œuvres originales de Franco Cesarini: A Glorious Fanfare, Op.38/3 Tamm Greek Folk Song Suite No. 2, Op. 58b (Samiotissa, Kato Sto Jalo, Chasaposerviko) Bright Dawn Overture, Op. 59 Notes from the Road (An Overture), Op. 60 Siebnen LA MUSIQUE MILITAIRE ROYALE DES PAYS-BAS ’JOHAN WILHELM FRISO’ La musique militaire royale des Pays-Bas ‘Johan Willem Friso’ (JWF) a été créée le 1er janvier 2005 après une réorganisation des orchestres d’harmonie militaires, lorsque les quatre ensembles de l'armée royale des Pays-Bas existants à l'époque, ont été dissous. Le groupe se compose de 54 membres, basé à la caserne Johan Willem Friso à Assen. Une partie importante des activités de l’orchestre se déroule au sein des forces armées comme une sorte 'd’orchestre maison'. En outre, le groupe a des fonctions de représentation au nom des forces armées néerlandaises, donne régulièrement des concerts, participe à des parades ??au Pays Bas et à l'étranger. Le planning comprend des services lors de cérémonies telles que les passations de commandement, les cérémonies d'assermentation, l'ouverture du parlement, les journées nationales du souvenir, la journée des anciens combattants ou les gardes d'honneur lors de visites d'États ainsi que des enregistrements de CD. / Date parution : 2023-07-31/ Accessoire / Concert Band/Harmonie

Par MEYERBEER GIACOMO. Giacomo Meyerbeer (1791-1864) était un compositeur d'opéra allemand, d'origine juive, qui a été décrit comme peut-être le compositeur de musique de scène ayant eu le plus de succès au XIXe siècle. Sa carrière publique, de 1831 jusqu’à sa mort (période pendant laquelle il resta une figure dominante dans le monde de l’opéra) fut résumée par Hector Berlioz, son contemporain qui affirma : « il a non seulement la chance d’être talentueux, mais le talent d’être chanceux ». Ses œuvres ont fait de lui, le compositeur le plus joué dans les plus grandes maisons d'opéra du monde au XIXe siècle. Giacomo Meyerbeer composa son opéra Le Prophète en 1849. Dans cet opéra un couronnement est précédé d'une splendide marche. Bien que l'opéra lui-même soit rarement joué, la Marche du couronnement a une place importante dans le répertoire des concerts. L'arrangement de Franco Cesarini pour orchestre d'harmonie de la Coronation March se distingue par son instrumentation habile qui souligne les sonorités puissantes de cette marche de concert classique. / Date parution : 2023-10-31/ Répertoire / Concert Band/Harmonie

Par WILLIAMS JOHN / HVEEM DAVID (Arr.). «Cantina Band (or «Mad About Me») was written by John Williams in 1977 for the film Star Wars (later Star Wars IV: A New Hope). Even with quite a bit of the Star Wars music being quite well known, Cantina Band is literally in a style of its own. In the Star Wars-universe this style is called «jizz», Williams’ take on the more well-known genre «jazz». Williams was tasked by Star Wars-creator George Lucas to make music that sounded like «several creatures in a future century finding some 1930's Benny Goodman swing band music ... and how they might attempt to interpret it» and ended up with Cantina Band #1 and #2. Both numbers are played in the legendary scene taking place in Chalmun's Spaceport Cantina where Luke Skywalker and Obi-Wan Kenobi gets in a fight causing even the band to stop playing. The band, which goes by the name Figrin D'an and the Modal Nodes, comes from the planet Clak'dor VII and specializes in jizz and the nearby, slightly older style of jatz. Performers of this music often go by the name 'jizz-wailers', and the Bith people from Clak'dor VII are especially well suited for jizz-wailing since they can hold every note as long as they want thanks to a unique respiratory system - something many perhaps would like to be able to do in the performance of this arrangement as well. The arrangement is relatively faithful to Williams' original version, but with a somewhat different ending. Although the woodwind section undoubtedly has the biggest technical challenges, an understanding of the musical style is the very key to making the arrangement sound good - and here all groups must work together. Playing lightly but quite articulated, and very precise, will be an absolute necessity to get the music drifting off all the way to Tatooine. In measure 113 there is a small improvised solo in either trombone or trumpet, but if you want the real authentic Cantina Band-sound this is of course done on a steel drum. / Date parution : 2023-07-31/ Répertoire / Concert Band/Harmonie

Dances from 'The Cossacs'. Par ELLING CATHARIUS. The Opera “The Cossacs” by Catharinus Elling is based on the Nikolai Gogol novel about Taras Bulba. “The Cossacs” was premiered in 1897 at Eldorado in Kristiania (the old name on Norway’s capitol Oslo). Despite positive response in the papers of that time, the opera was newer performed again in it’s entirely. The Norwegian Broadcasting Corporation have an abbreviated recording in it’s archives, but no complete performance is known to date. The Norwegian National Opera Orchestra recorded both the overture and the dances in 2021, conducted by Ingar Bergby. Thet are both a part of the CD “Norwegian Opera Overtures”. This arrangement is not commissioned by anyone, but rather written to better the availability of quality Norwegian orchestral music arranged for Concert Band. This edition is a good opportunity to be more familiar with Norwegian heritage of orchestral music. / Date parution : 2023-07-31/ Répertoire / Concert Band/Harmonie

Par DE HAAN JACOB. La ville de Zevenhuizen (Sept Maisons), dans la province néerlandaise de Groningen, a conçu l’idée de réunir 777 musiciens pour un concert expérimental à ciel ouvert. C’est dans ce contexte que Jacob de Haan a été prié d’écrire une œuvre pour célébrer le cinquantenaire de Concordia, l’association musicale locale. Le nombre total de musiciens n’a pas été tout à fait atteint, mais cela n’a pas empêché l’événement d’être un grand succès. Maintenant, la musique a été publiée dans une compilation qui rassemble les mélodies les plus attrayantes dans divers styles de rock et de ballades. Le thème de clôture captivant de Music Xperience persistera dans l’esprit de nombreux auditeurs et interprètes longtemps après la fin du concert. / Date parution : 2022-07-20/ Répertoire / Concert Band/Harmonie

Par DELERUYELLE THIERRY. Keystone raconte l’histoire de l’Odéon de la ville de Vriezenveen, aux Pays-Bas. « Odéon » est le nom donné à divers édifices de la Grèce et de la Rome antiques où l’on pratiquait le chant, la musique et la poésie. C’est le nom que choisirent, en 1998, plusieurs membres de l’orchestre d’harmonie de Vriezenveen pour le centre culturel qu’ils décidèrent de faire construire. L’œuvre débute lentement avec les instruments graves, puis s’accélère dans une écriture contrapuntique où le motif principal passe d’instruments en instruments. Après un passage plus calme, la musique reprend son élan pour aboutir à un choral majestueux symbolisant le splendide Odéon. / Date parution : 2022-06-08/ Répertoire / Concert Band/Harmonie