Repertoire

Johan de Meij: Continental. Overture (1997) 7’
Johan de Meij: Un momento dado. Homenaje en memoria de Johan Cruyff. Concerto Grosso for Reed Quintet and Wind Orchestra (2020) 22′
Johan de Meij: Symphony No. 1 ‘The Lord of the Rings’ (1988) 43’

ARTISTS

Barcelona Symphonic Band (BMB)
Calefax Reed Quintet
Björn Bus, conductor

Programme

Johan de Meij is one of the most acclaimed wind ensemble composers of the last forty years. Born in The Netherlands, a country with a solid concert band tradition, he played trombone in a concert band from a young age and became a specialist in conducting concert bands and composing for them.

The Barcelona Symphonic Band pays homage to Meij with this concert, which features a selection of his works, beginning with Symphony No. 1 ‘The Lord of the Rings’, after which the programme is named, a highly successful piece which has brought international acclaim for its author. Based on Tolkien’s novel, its five movements superbly portray the different characters, and key moments from the story are eloquently expressed through the music.

Two more pieces complete the programme: the Overture “Continental” and the Concerto Grosso for reed quintet and wind orchestra Un momento dado (A Given Moment), written as a tribute to another Dutch celebrity well-known in Catalonia, the footballer and manager Johan Cruyff.