L'Histoire d ‘Ell is a musical representation of 75 years of village history from the Limburg village of Ell (The Netherlands). This period can be roughly divided into three parts: rural village, war and reconstruction. The first part gives an impression of Ell before the war, the peace and beauty of the countryside. It also includes the story of the shoemaker who stood chatting  in front of his shop all week and went crazy at the weekend to finish his work on time. The only industry in the village, a "fuus" (dairy factory) and a brewery musical portrayed in this part. The second part describes the events during the war with the searchlights of the ’German Wehrmacht’, the shooting downing of British bombers by German fighters and the compelling report of the setting on fire and eventual collapse of the mill (a long solo by the entire percussion section). The third part tells the story of the new paths that were taken after the war. People worked hard on the reconstruction, farms were restored and agriculture intensified. The dynamic community life, characteristic of the years 1979-1990, is also reflected in this last part which ends with a festive closing.

Composed for Fanfare Band by Leon Vliex. 
Listen at Soundcloud.com  (Frysk Fanfare Orkest, conductor Jouke Hoekstra.)

Sheet Music Obtainable: 
Bronsheim Music, Boedapestlaan 217, 3404 VC IJsselstein (NL), 
Tel.++ 31 (0)30 2657309. 
info@bronsheimmusic.nl

L’HISTOIRE D’ELL - Leon Vliex.

This original composition for large wind orchestra was composed in 1994 by Alexander Comitas (a pseudonym for Eduard de Boer) on behalf of the Netherlands Institute for Wind Band (NIB) in Utrecht. This composition is in the main or sonata form, with a slow introduction as an opening. In this introduction, several themes are already that will play an important role in the subsequent allegro section. The beginning actually consists of two extended melodies - one fortissimo and the other piano - that interrupt and alternate each other. The soft sections together form more or less the ’secondary theme’ in the allegro sonata form. Incidentaly, this secondary theme is in turn contrapuntally combined in the recapitulation with one of the themes from the allegro section. This composition received its world premiere on July 28, 1995 in Hamamatsu (Japan) during the closing concert of the international WASBE Conference 1995 by the National Youth Wind Orchestra Netherlands conducted by Jan Cober and was also performed during all concerts of this orchestra’s ’Japan Tour 1995’.

Composed for Windband by Alexander Comitas

Listen at Soundcloud.com (National Youth Wind Orchestra, conductor Jan Cober - live recording). 

Sheet Music Obtainable: 
Bronsheim Music, Boedapestlaan 217, 3404 VC IJsselstein (NL),
Tel.++ 31 (0)30 2657309. 
info@bronsheimmusic.nl


CAUCASISCHE EPODE - Alexander Comitas

The famous ’Procession of the Nobles’ from the ballet opera Mlada. The ballet-opera ’Mlada’ is set around the 9th and 10th centuries on the coasts of the Baltic States. The opera describes the story of Princess Voislava who murders her friend, Princess Mlada, in order to win the love of Mlada’s fiancé Prince Jaromir. The second act of this opera takes place in the market place of the city of Rethra. There is a big folk festival and the nobility arrives in a procession, the ’Procession of the Nobles’.

Arranged for Wind Band and Fanfare Band by Jaroc.
Listen at Soundcloud.com (Fanfare Band Dutch Royal Army ’Mounted Arms’, conductor Danny Oosterman)

Sheet Music Obtainable: 
Bronsheim Music, Boedapestlaan 217, 3404 VC IJsselstein (NL), 
Tel.++ 31 (0)30 2657309.
info@bronsheimmusic.nl


PROCESSION OF THE NOBLES - Nicolai Rimsky-Korsakov / arr. Jaroc

As a result of poverty in his youth, Kalinnikov contracted tuberculosis. He left Moscow for Yalta in the warmer climate of Crimea. Here he wrote his two symphonies and the occasional music for Tsar Boris by Alexei Konstantinovitsj Tolstoj. The overture sounds for the 1st act of this spectacle. The other four acts of Tolstoy’s spectacle are each preceded by an Entr’acte. The overture clearly reflects Kalinnikov’s style, characterized by the national Russian movement. The themes have distinct folklore-like characteristics.

 Arranged for Wind Band and Fanfare Band by Jo Vliex.
Listen at Soundcloud.com (Musique Militaire Grand-Ducale Luxembourg, conductor Jean-Claude Braun)

 Sheet Music Obtainable: 
Bronsheim Music, Boedapestlaan 217, 3404 VC IJsselstein (NL), 
Tel.++ 31 (0)30 2657309. 
info@bronsheimmusic.nl


TSAR BORIS: Overture - Vasily Kalinnikov / arr. Jo Vliex.

Isaac Albéniz (May 29, 1860 - May 18, 1909) was born in Camprodon in Catalonia and was a musical prodigy. As a six-year-old he took piano lessons in Paris and then studied at the Madrid Conservatory. As a child prodigy, he continued to give concerts until he turned fifteen. In 1883 he settled in Barcelona and decided to write 'Spanish music' from then on. In 1886 Albéniz composed his ’Suite Espanola’ for piano. Asturias is a part of this suite.

Arranged for Fanfare Band, Brassband and Ensemble by Yves Bouillot.
Listen at Soundcloud.com (Brabants Fanfare Orkest - conductor Frans van Dun)

Sheet Music Obtainable: 
Bronsheim Music, Boedapestlaan 217, 3404 VC IJsselstein (NL), 
Tel.++ 31 (0)30 2657309.
info@bronsheimmusic.nl


ASTURIAS (Leyenda) - Isaac Albéniz / arr. Yves Bouillot.

DIALOGUE, SONG AND CAPRICCIO - Jan van Hulten.

Dialogue, Song and Capriccio is a three-part composition in a traditional sound idiom. The first part ’Dialogue’, is structured according to a fast-slow-fast pattern. It is highly rhythmic intent, full of time signature changes and demonstrates a constant interplay between the various instrument groups. The second part ’Song’ has as its main theme a melodious melody, introduced by the saxophones and then developed contrapuntally by the entire orchestra. The minor theme, which precedes the main melody, is later varied and merged with the main theme. The third part ’Capriccio’ consists of four short themes of varying character but with melodic similarities. The constant changes in time signature are also striking in this section. At the end of this capricious section, short motifs from the first section are incorporated.

Composed for Fanfare Band by Jan van Hulten.
Listen at Soundcloud.com  (Frysk Fanfare Orkest, conductor Jouke Hoekstra.)

Sheet Music Obtainable: 
Bronsheim Music, Boedapestlaan 217, 3404 VC IJsselstein (NL),
Tel.++ 31 (0)30 2657309.
info@bronsheimmusic.nl


DIALOGUE, SONG AND CAPRICCIO - Jan van Hulten.

Luxembourgish composer Marco Pütz obtained the famous 1855 speech by Seattle Indian chief, addressed to the President of the United States, Franklin Pierce, and based on it composed his "Prae Monitio". The content of this speech is the demise of this planet and the people living on it. This "Prae Monitio" is sung in the composition by a mezzo-soprano.

Composed for Wind Band by Marco Pütz.
Soloist: Margriet Schlösser - dramatic soprano
Listen at Soundcloud.com  (Musique Militaire Grand-Ducale Luxembourg, conductor André Reichling.)

Sheet Music Obtainable: 
Bronsheim Music, Boedapestlaan 217, 3404 VC IJsselstein (NL),
Tel.++ 31 (0)30 2657309.
info@bronsheimmusic.nl


PRAE MONITIO - Marco Pütz.

Giuseppe Verdi (1813-1901) is Italy’s greatest composer. His opera ’Nabucco’ is a four-act opera composed in 1842. The libretto is by Temistocle Solera, based on the biblical story of the Jewish exile in Babylonia, as described in the Old Testament book of Daniel. The Jews are defeated by King Nabucco of Babylon and sentenced to forced labor. They complain and call upon God for help. This ’Slave Corus’ has become world-famous and almost everyone knows its opening line ’Va, pensiero, sull’ali dorate’.

Arranged for Wind Band and Fanfare Band by Willy Hautvast.
Listen at Soundcloud.com  (KESFO ’Nieuw Leven’ Vianen, conductor Leon Vliex.)

Sheet Music Obtainable: 
Bronsheim Music, Boedapestlaan 217, 3404 VC IJsselstein (NL),
Tel.++ 31 (0)30 2657309. 
info@bronsheimmusic.nl


’SLAVENKOOR’ from Nabucco - Giuseppe Verdi / arr. Willy Hautvast.

This work won first prize for original composition in Corciano, Italy. The composition is a tribute to Ottorino Respighi and is full of complex rhythmic structures, fugues and contrapuntal elements.

Composed for Wind Band by Francisco Zacarès Fort.
Listen at Soundcloud.com  ( Musique Militaire Grand-Ducale Luxembourg, conductor André Reichling).

Sheet Music Obtainable: 
Bronsheim Music, Boedapestlaan 217, 3404 VC IJsselstein (NL),
Tel.++ 31 (0)30 2657309. 
info@bronsheimmusic.nl


RESPIGHIANA - Francisco Zacarès Fort.

The initially plaintive, later triumphant and festive character of the work and the lively rhythm give this composition an aura that is in no way inferior to the many authentic examples of Spanish origin.

Composed for Wind Band and Fanfare Band by Leon Vliex.
Listen at Soundcloud.com  (Frysk Fanfare Orkest, conductor Jouke Hoekstra).

Sheet Music Obtainable: 
Bronsheim Music, Boedapestlaan 217, 3404 VC IJsselstein (NL),
Tel.++ 31 (0)30 2657309. 
info@bronsheimmusic.nl


FIESTA EN EL PUEBLO - Leon Vliex.

Jo Vliex