Par BULLA STEPHEN. The inspiration for this piece, commissioned by the United States Army Band, came from the Gulf and its constant presentation to the world as a media event on television. The composer wanted to capture the colour and events of war as they were played out on the television screen. Composed as a single movement rhapsody, the work is framed by the riveting sounds of airborne bombin…

Par VAN DER ROOST JAN. Jan van der Roost’s new work Jubilus will make an ideal opening piece for any event. It is in a classical ABA form, beginning with a rising brass fanfare which is quickly replaced by a contrasting expressive lyrical theme. The two themes alternate for a few seconds until an exciting new atmosphere is created with the lively allegro. This eventful piece lets you show off many…

Par VAN DER ROOST JAN. This work consists of two movements. The first part is rather quiet and pastoral in character, written in a gently rocking 12/8 time and expressing the tranquillity of the area around the medieval town of Oudenburg in Belgium. After a beautiful orchestral climax the second section, inspired by the Roman past of Oudenburg, begins. A somewhat oppressive and impending introduct…

Par PROKOFIEV SERGEI. The Russian ballet director Sergei Diaghilev commissioned many composers to write music for the theatre. This was what caused Serge Prokofiev to compose the four part Scytische Suite (also known as Ala and Lolli) in 1916, from which The Enemy God and the Dance of the Spirits can be heard on this CD. This suite is one of Prokofiev's first works, and received negative criticism…

Par DE HAAN JACOB. Utopia is the name of a book written by the English author Thomas More and was published in 1516. The title is a word thought up by More himself, after the Greek language, meaning 'Nowhereland' and leading to the invention of the words utopian scheme and utopian. Utopia pictured an ideal state on an island far from the inhabited world. This idea was the basis of the composition.…

Par CURNOW JAMES. At times intimate and reflective, at times boisterous and unrelenting, this uplifting new work by James Curnow was inspired by the biblical story of Job and his “never give up” attitude. The old spiritual Balm in Gilead is incorporated as the piece takes us through tribulation and solace, turmoil and relief. The full spectrum of orchestration from rich, dark Brasses to flashing W…

Par CURNOW JAMES. At times intimate and reflective, at times boisterous and unrelenting, this uplifting new work by James Curnow was inspired by the biblical story of Job and his “never give up” attitude. The old spiritual Balm in Gilead is incorporated as the piece takes us through tribulation and solace, turmoil and relief. The full spectrum of orchestration from rich, dark Brasses to flashing W…

Par SPARKE PHILIP. Spirit of Endeavour honore l’histoire de l’Harmonie de Charlesbourg depuis sa formation, en 1993. Cette histoire aux multiples facettes embrasse tous les aspects de la vie humaine : le travail, l’amitié, l’excellence musicale, l’amour, lemariage et la naissance, ainsi que la perte douloureuse de membres aimés. Le compositeur Philip Sparke salue cette histoire avec une oeuvre qui…