Brass Band

This opener was written for the 10th anniversary of Brass Band Midden
Brabant (BBMB), the composer’s own band. A soft and lyrical middle
section follows on the powerful opening fanfare which, if the technical
equipment is available, can be used as background music for a spoken
text or presentation. The finale is distinctly rhythmical in character,
and develops into a somewhat unusual ending. Here, the composer piles
ten different notes on top of each other, representing the BBMB
anniversary in a musical way. At a later date the composer made two new
versions of Signature, namely for wind band and fanfare.

The work “Prima Luce” was written on the commission of the Holy Angels
Elementary School located in Aurora, a city in the United States of
America. The composition is dedicated to Stan Smith. The place-name
Aurora was the inspiration for writing this work. Aurora means dawn,
the phenomenon that is given musical expression by a soft opening with
dark timbres. The choral-like theme strengthens the idea of sunrise.
Prima Luce means the first light. The commissioning authority has a
Catholic foundation; therefore, the title “Prima Luce” fits the work
quite well. Catholic influences are heard throughout the music. A
Gregorian influence is clearly heard in the melodies, as well as modal
influences in the harmonization.

The beginning of the composition works toward an orchestral climax in
which the orchestra sounds like an organ. Then an energetic allegro
part follows with racy discordant notes. This fast part alludes to the
dynamic town of Aurora. In this way the composer refers to the title
because Aurora was one of the first towns with streetlights! The work
ends majestically with broad sounds in which the hymn is heard for the
last time.

There are all sorts of marches: fast and slow, solemn and energetic,
military and civil, procession, and funeral. Orion is a so-called “slow
march,” in which the moderate tempo, however, does not make a passive
or heavy impression. On the contrary, this concert march contains
natural optimism and spontaneity. Since Orion does not make very high
demands upon the performers, the piece is suitable for many different
bands. The instrumentation is composed in such a way that smaller
formations can play Orion without a significant difference in the
overall sound. The almost constantly present rhythmic “pulse” in the
percussion gives this majestic march a noble character.

Minerva by Jan Van der Roost was composed on the commission of the
German “Musikverein Braunshausen” on the occasion of the 75th
anniversary of the orchestra. The composition, first performed on
September 17, 1999, is not a street march but a concert march, just
like Mercury and Arsenal. The use and variation of different rhythmic
patterns gives the first part of this march a distinctly dynamic
character. Two main themes are presented in several instrumental
combinations. The theme from the trio, on the other hand, is
characterized by a broad melodic approach using large intervals. This
theme, wreathed by high woodwinds, is heard one more time after a
contrasting new part, but now in a somewhat slower tempo. The
counterpoint in this part refers to the first part of the march. The
brilliant ending suits a festive anniversary march!

Mercury is a concert march composed in a typically British idiom. In
1990, Jan Van der Roost wrote this piece on the occasion of the 15-year
anniversary of his own band: Brass Band Midden Brabant. Like many
British marches, the main theme is written in a minor key. Powerful and
virtuoso themes characterize the first part of this march, while the
trio melody is much more melodical, offering the tenor register to
display its lyrical skills. Follows a dynamic passage for trombones and
trumpets/cornets, leading to a "grandioso" version of the main trio
melody and thus concluding this march in a magnificent way.

This hymn was commissioned by “Antwerpen 93”. And this city, on the
banks of the river Schelde has been nominated “Cultural Capital of
Europe” for 1993. The work-group “animatie” took the initiative and
commissioned a hymn, which -as the finale to a grand open-air event on
27th March- was premièred by hundreds of musicians from all over
Europe. Philippe Langlet (France) was the conductor at this majestic
occasion.
Musically speaking the piece can no doubt be labeled easy. Indeed it is
meant to represent a hymn, playable by all in different instrumental
combinations. Consequently a variable instrumentation was chosen and a
type of music, which by native is easily accessible and uncomplicated.
The conductor is free -in the instrumentation- to score this piece
according to his own taste. It is perhaps advisable to use the sharp
brass in the forte parts, in order to make the range in the sound of
the orchestra as colouful as possible. The percussion parts are not
absolutely essential, so that the hymn can also be performed without
percussion.

Jan Van der Roost was commissioned to write this hymn by the
“International Association for Human Rights” in Frankfurt. The
commission specified that the instrumentation of this simple hymn
should be so, that it can be performed by a variety of combinations of
players. The piece starts with an “intrada” for brass ensemble based on
the first bars of the hymn, but is “ad libitum” and can therefore be
omitted. The coda can also be left out, depending on the available
instrumentation. The piece should be played “legato” to accentuate its
hymn-like character.

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 tone
row: 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.

In composing Firework Jan Van der Roost has once again succeeded in
creating another spectacular intro following on Flashing Winds and
Signature. In just over a minute the composer shows the band off in a
powerfull and virtuose manner.

This stately concert opener was originally written by Jan Van der Roost
for a special event in which six respected wind orchestras (two Belgian
and four Dutch) of different composition (two symphonic bands, two
fanfare bands and two brass bands) were featured during six concerts.
Each evening brought forth a performance by a symphonic band, a
fanfare, and brass band, so that the audience could experience all
three types of ensembles. This was indeed an original concept.
The name, ConZEnSus, comes from a combination of the words, ‘Concert
Cyclus’ (concert series) and ‘zes’ (Dutch for ‘six’). This leads to a
new word, which refers to ‘consensus’. The general tenor of the cycle
is thus immediately indicated. The richness of color of the various
ensembles is revealed through an open and friendly atmosphere. During
all six concerts (over a span of three years), ConZEnSus functioned as
a permanent opening number for each orchestra. Thus the same musical
story was portrayed in three different packages.