The test-pieces to be used at the 2019 Dutch National Championships have been announced.
The 39th annual event will take place on the weekend of Friday 25th & Saturday 26th October at Utrecht's TivoliVredenburg.
The compulsory works for the five sections have been selected by the music committee and come from the pens of Philip Wilby, Jan Van der Roost, Jan de Haan, Stan Nieuwenhuis and Etienne Crausatz.
Championship Division
'Vienna Nights', Philip Wilby's homage to Mozart, Mahler and Sigmund Freud will provide the imposing test of technique and style for the elite level contenders.
Written to celebrate the 250th anniversary of Mozart's birth (it is subtitled as a 'fantasy' on his Piano Sonata in A, K.331) it was commissioned for the 2006 British Open Championships and has since become one of his most popular works.
First Division
The First Division competitors will be faced by a new work from Jan Van der Roost, entitled, 'Alpina Brass'.
It was written as a three-part composition for the First Division contest of the Fête Cantanoles in Naters, Switzerland and sets many different technical, rhythmic and musical challenges within a very tonal framework structure.
Second Division
Another brand new work, entitled, 'The Patriots' from the pen of the experienced Dutch composer Jan de Haan will test the Second Division competitors.
It is the twelfth time a Jan de Hann work has been used at the National Championships with his latest reflecting on the political instability found in the country during the late 18th century, and which resulted in patriot republican fervor against the House of Orange-Nassau.
Although the Crown survived after the intervention of the Prussian Army, it marked the beginning of a period of great political and cultural unrest. The thematic material is based on the song 'Merck toch hoe sterck' which changes throughout in character to reflect the changes of the time.
'Vienna Nights', Philip Wilby's homage to Mozart, Mahler and Sigmund Freud will provide the imposing test of technique and style for the elite level contenders4BR
Third Division
'A Buoy', a new work by award winning Belgian composer from Stan Nieuwenhuis will be the set-test for the Third Division bands.
The work symbolizes a buoy as a metaphor for positivity and optimism that always comes to the surface.
The band is divided into different grouping whilst off stage groupings are also utilised. The initial theme played by flugel and solo cornets is developed through a number of variations before resulting in a triumphant climax.
Fourth Division
'Sinfonietta 4' by Etienne Crausatz will be the test for the Fourth Division bands.
The work was originally composed for the 2018 Fête Cantonale Festival in Switzerland, and opens with a simple fanfare consisting of five consecutive rising notes. The central section touches on renaissance music but with modern harmonies before ending in a festive climax.
