LUCA Brass
Programme:
C. Monteverdi: L’Orfeo, Toccata
G. Gabrieli: O Jesu Mi Dulcissime
G. Langford: London Miniatures
London Calls
SoHo
Green Park
Trafalgar Square
The Cenotaph
Horse Guards Parade
Hodie Completi Sund
R. Bissil: Spain
L'Orfeo (1607) is undoubtedly the best-known opera by Claudio Monteverdi, an Italian composer of the late 16th, early 17th century. It retells the myth of Orpheus and Euridyce, as written down in Ancient Greece by Ovid and Virgil. The prologue of the opera consists of an instrumental toccata on the one hand, and a vocal 'La Musica' on the other. The toccata heralds the opera in an exuberant and virtuosic manner.
Giovanni Gabrieli (1556-1612), like Monteverdi an Italian composer from the transition of the sixteenth to the seventeenth century, was one of the pioneers of "multi-choral" music. When his works were performed, the choirs were often located on different places. LUCA Brass performs an arrangement of O Jesu Mi Dulcissime.
London Miniatures by Gordon Langford (1930-2017) is a six-movement suite for brass ensemble. The titles of the six movements refer, as the title of the work suggests, to the London of the 20th and 21st centuries: London Calls (London calls) - Soho (the most famous London district) - Green Park (one of the eight royal parks) - Trafalgar Square (the famous square in London, named after the battle of Trafalgar, where Nelson once defeated Napoleon Bonaparte) - The Cenotaph (World War I memorial) - Horse Guards Parade (important parade ground).
This Cruel Moon (2017) by American composer John Mackey (1973) tells the story of the nymph Kalypso, who finds Odysseus for dead on the beach after one of his wanderings, she cares for him and loves him, before he finally leaves her after seven years.
Richard Bissill made an arrangement of Chick Corea's Spain (1971), retaining the swinging jazz character of this work. As in the original jazz standard, the theme from Joaquin Rodrigo's guitar concerto is clearly recognizable.
LUCA Sax
Programme:
Dmitri Sjostakovitsj: Festive Overture
Jan Van der Roost: Rikudim
J.S. Bach: Toccata en Fuga
Kevin Houben/studenten (arr.): O Magnum Mysterium-Lauridsen
Kevin Houben (arr.): Legend of a giant
Festive Overture (1954) by Dmitri Shostakovich (1906-1975) was originally written by the composer for symphonic orchestra in honour of the 37th anniversary of the October Revolution. Shostakovich received the commission barely three days before the deadline. The story goes that after only one hour, a courier was dispatched to pick up the work page by page, so that the orchestral parts would be ready in time for performance at the celebration at the Bolshoi Theatre. The work was immediately warmly received because of its festive, exuberant and expressive character.
Rikudim (1986), Hebrew for 'dancing', by Belgian composer Jan Van der Roost (1956) is a suite for wind orchestra inspired by Jewish music. The harmonies are surprising but accessible, and ensure that the music addresses the audience in a direct way. The Yiddish character is unmistakable in this four-movement suite.
It is surprising to hear Toccata and Fugue (c. 1700) by Johannes Sebastian Bach (1685-1750) in an arrangement for sax ensemble. Yet this group of instruments, which from the lowest register (contrabass saxophone) to the highest register (sopranino saxophone) know how to simulate the wide frequency range of the organ like no other, lends itself particularly well to this. 'Toccata' refers to a virtuoso piece of music, 'fugue' to a polyphonic work, in which the thematic entries in the different voices alternate.
O Magnum Mysterium (O Great Mystery) (1994) by American composer Morten Lauridsen (b. 1943) is a motet for four-voice a cappella choir. The Gregorian chant, about the resurrection of Jesus and Mary's profound love for her son, inspired many a composer. Lauridsen himself articulated that his main aim with his composition was for the melody to resonate to the depths of everyone's soul.
Legend of a Giant is a composition for solo alto saxophone and symphonic orchestra by Belgian composer Kevin Houben. The composer dedicated this challenging saxophone concerto to Spanish saxophone virtuoso Mariano García. As in any classical concerto, the saxophone soloist goes 'into battle' with the orchestra. First by turns, in dialogue with each other, then fraternally together. Moreover, the orchestra is considered an equal partner, so this cinematic score presents a tough challenge for the orchestral musicians as well. Legend of a Giant immerses the listener in the world of the saxophone and challenges the soloist in terms of lyricism and timbre, as well as on the technical level. Thus, different aspects and modern playing styles such as bisbigliandos, double staccatos, frullatos, glissandos, harmonics or overtones, ... the revue. In short: a great challenge for every saxophone virtuoso!
