(The Four Seasons). Par VIVALDI ANTONIO. Antonio Vivaldi (1678-1741) stands, with Handel and J. S. Bach, as one of the titanic figures of late Baroque composition. Not only was he lauded as a composer of vocal and instrumental works both sacred and secular, he was without serious competition, the most prolific composer of his age. In addition to hundreds of vocal works, includingforty-nine operas, he composed five hundred concertos. The Four Seasons are probably the best known of his concerti with the second movement, / Niveau : 2 / Musique pour célébration / Répertoire / Fanfare

Par DE HAAN JACOB. This musical fantasy depicts the history of the Dutch fortified town of Elburg. The work begins with an atmospheric medieval picture of the Convent of St Agnes, the nunnery that was built in the first half of the 15th century. We hear the sound of the convent bells together with an upward motif, which will reappear later in the work. Next, the rest of Elburg is featured, including the fortress - from which the bells of the Sint-Nicolaaskerk (Saint Nicholas Church) are ringing. Then, cheerful sounds can be heard at the Vischpoort (Fish Gate), where a dancing group is performing a 16th century French folk dance (a branle des chevaux). We also hear old wagons rumbling over the town’scobble stones. Trade made this Hanseatic town a lively place. The repetitive upward motif first heard in the introduction now develops into a more distinct feature, reflecting the mercantile spirit of the town residents. Then follows the slow middle movement, in which the clock has been turned back to the time when Elburg was still lying on the Zuiderzee (which was a bay of the North Sea), and was struggling with floods. After the second St. Marcellus Flood (1362) and the water flood of 1367 it was decided that the town would be relocated. We now hear the theme of branle des chevaux in a minor key, followed by a death bell sounding in remembrance of the drowned citizens of the former town. Back in our own time, a slow, expressive theme in Baroque style mirrors Elburg’s tranquil places, such as the Feithenhof (Feithen Court) and the Weduwenhofje (Widow Court). Then the bustle returns with motifs from the introduction, followed by an attractive theme in which present-day Elburg is portrayed with its many tourists. Now, suddenly, there is an echo from the past, depicting the dramatic floods and wars that once plagued the town. This leads to the grand closing theme: branle des chevaux is heard for a final time from the perspective of the historic town centre. / Niveau : 4 / Pièce de concert / Répertoire / Fanfare

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