Par KEYSER PAUL DE. Avec violon Playtime, le violoniste débutant peut faire de la musique des tout premiers enseignements. Dans les trois livres qui composent la série, il y a plus d'une centaine en petits morceaux, une mine de mélodies attrayants - certains traditionnels, certains compositeurs du passé, certains nouvellement formé. Mais ce n'est plus alors seulement une anthologie facile - l'approche sous-jacente est ' apprendre comme vous jouez ', et un plan de sol soigneusement élaborée de développement technique rend un manuel déguisé, un tuteur sans texte. Ce livre vous emmène au Grade 2 standard. Les illustrations animées contribuent visuellement à l'excitation de l'apprentissage du violon./ Recueil / Violon et Piano

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

This short piece (which also exists in versions for violin or bassoon and piano) was created for the 'Blues' project of the Dutch pianist Marcel Worms. The title maybe alludes to the fact that such a busy artist has to spend a lot of time on the road between performances. However, the composition is, by no means, melancholy. It rather is a lively piece playing with thirds mainly in a high register. Bitonality and jazz harmony contradict the musical-box-like character in a fascinating way. Marcel Worms recorded Economy Class Blues on his CD 'A Can of Blues' which has been released by the label Vermes Records. / Piano