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 VAN DER ROOST JAN. This major concert work cosists o five movements. 1st movement: La Laguna del ShimbeSituated high up in the Andes mountains in Northern Peru are the Huaringas, a group of lagoons in isolated and mysterious surroundings. The water has healing powersand for centuries traditional healers have settled there in small villages. From far the sick come to the Huaringas to be treated in nightly rituals, in which the hallucinating juice of the San Pedro cactus gives the prophet a look inside hispatient. The biggest lagoon is the “Laguna del Shimbe”, one of the countless wells of the immense Amazon stream. 2nd movement: Los AguarunasFurther downstream in Northern Peru we come across the rain tribe of Los Aguarunas. It’s a proud, beautiful andindependent race, which has never succumbed to domination, not even from the Incas. They live from everything the forest has to offer: fish, fruit, plants, . . . . They also grow some crops and live as semi-nomads. They take their fate into their ownhands and after having made contact with modern civilisation, they have integrated new elements into their lives without betraying their own ways. 3rd movement: MekaronMekaron is an Indian word meaning “picture”, “soul”, “essence”. The Indians are theorigina inhabitants of the Amazon region. They either live in one place as a group or move around a large region. They all have their own political system, their own language and an intense social life. At the same time they are master of music andmedicine. “Everywhere the white man goes, he leaves a wilderness behind him”, wrote the North American Indian leader Seatl in 1885. As a result of these contacts with the whites, the disruption of most Indian societies began. (In this century alone, 80 tribes have vanished completely). 4th movement: KêêtuajêThis is the name of the initiating ceremony of the Krahô tribe in the Brazilian state of Goias, in which young boys and girls enter adult life. They are cleansed with water, painted with redpaint and covered with feathers, after which the ritual dance holds the entire tribe spell-bound. 5th movement: Paulino FaiakanIn 1988 the Indian chiefs Faiakan and Raoni Kaiapo came to Europe to protest against the building of the Altamira dam inBrazil. As a result of the dam the Indians would be driven from their traditional land and enormous artificial would be created. The project was supported financially by, amongst others, the European Community. In February 1989 the Indian tribesaround Altamira held a protest march for the first time in their history together. Amongst other things they paid tribute tot Chico Mendez, who, murdered in 1988, was the leader of the rubber syndicate and a fierce opponent of the destruction of theBrazilian rain forest. Brazilian and world opinion was awakened. The building of the dam was -albeit temporarily - stopped. / Niveau : 6 / Pièce de concert / Répertoire / Fanfare

Par HIMES WILLIAM. And now for something completely different! Who but William Himes would think of deconstructing and the reconstructing the 'birthday' song into this amazingly creative overture? And, who else could do it so well? The cognitive and the affective domains are both in for a treat as you prepare this intriguing new work for performance. Be sure to hear the CD demo and look closely at the score. There are some amazing things going on here. Unexpected! / Niveau : 4 / Pièce de concert / Répertoire / Fanfare

Par DE HAAN JACOB. Utopia is the name of a book written by the English author Thomas More and was published in 1516. The title is a word thought up by More himself, after the Greek language, meaning 'Nowhereland' and leading to the invention of the words utopian scheme and utopian. Utopia pictured an ideal state on an island far from the inhabited world. This idea was the basis of the composition. It makes one think of Oregon in variety of themes and style. Utopia also exists of a combination of styles that breathe the atmosphere of film music. However, Utopia sounds less American. The slow and stirring middle part for example is closer to the European romanticism: the chord signals in the brasssection remind of Wagner's music. / Niveau : 4 / Musique légère originale / Répertoire / Fanfare