Call of the Valley
Summary
This composition is inspired by the International Youth Wind Music Festival in Bad Orb, Germany, where he has long been a patron. It reflects the three-day festival’s events, starting with a festive march, followed by sacred music on the Molkenberg hill, and concluding with a grand march through the town. The work features instrumental groups playing from a distance, symbolizing the sounds rising from the valley, and culminates with all musicians gathering for the final chord, mirroring the festival’s closing ceremony.
About Call of the Valley
The inspiration for this work stems from the Internationales Blasmusikfest der Jugend Europas (a biennial European youth wind music festival in the town of Bad Orb, in Hesse, Germany), of which Jacob de Haan has been the patron for many years.[. The composition opens in a festive, march-like tempo, which symbolises for the participating wind bands presenting themselves on the first day.
On the second day, a concert featuring sacred music takes place on top of the hill looking out over the town – the Molkenberg. As soon as these stately sounds have come to a close, you can hear the sounds of various bands coming up from the valley – like smoke spiralling upwards along the hill. This concept is represented by two instrumental groups leaving the stage during the performance, who then play their music from a distance in the pauses that occur within the stately music played by the band. A saxophone Group performs a little waltz, and a mixed group of brass, flute and piccolo plays a little march. At the end of the work, the band takes up the themes of both instrument groups, and both groups march towards the stage from different directions. There they stand as the closing chord sounds, facing the audience.
This march-like section mirrors the third day, when the wind music festival is concluded with a march of all the bands through the old streets of Bad Orb.
Jacob de Haan: “The festival in Bad Orb is a great happening of varied wind music, which I enjoy attending very much. The highlight is the final concert on the main square, where I conduct all participating bands in a fantastic atmosphere”.
Performance Note
Halfway through the performance, the two instrumental groups line up outside (or at the back of) the hall, at different positions. At the end of the piece, both groups march toward the stage playing their music, and then stand still facing the audience, with the band behind them. When marching is not possible or advisable, the musicians can walk towards the stage and subsequently play their parts there – on (or in front of) the stage. It is not absolutely necessary to use the complete sections, you can also choose a selection from them.