Homage

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.