In the most literal sense: a piece for an occasion. The actual occasion was Jan de Haan s twentieth anniversary as a conductor of the top Dutch brass band Soli Deo Gloria (Leeuwarden). To mark the occasion the band commissioned the Belgian comopser Jan Van der Roost to create a surprise piece: without knowledge of the person being celebrated a suitable source of inspiration was sought for. After some thought the chorale-theme from Camille Saint-Saëns organ symphony was chosen a piece with which Jan de Haan has a special bond.Apart from this chorale Homage is also based on the names of notes taken from Jan de Haan and Soli Deo Gloria resulting in the tonerow: DEGAH. Both elements are combined together and form a grand climax towards the end of the piece when the whole band unites in the Saint Saëns theme.
