Present from the Melisma Quartet

ByWillem van Merwijk

On the doormat today a very nice present: the new CD by the Melisma Saxophone Quartet with music by Bach, Grieg, Ligeti and Lago. The Melisma is a very international group (Netherlands, Denmark, Spain, Switzerland) and they all graduated from the Amsterdam Conservatory with Arno Bornkamp (and a bit with me as I take over the saxophone class three times a year). So we go back some time and I am always very happy to meet them and hear the group perform.
David, Marijke, Henriette and Jonas have done a wonderful job, the recording is very crisp and transparent and full of musical depth and intelligence. Movements from Grieg’s  Holberg Suite, Bach’s Italian Concerto, Ligeti Bagatelles and finally three of my Ciudades (Córdoba, Sarajevo and Addis Ababa) : a wonderful opportunity to get acquainted with this lovely quartet. I did not find info on their site yet how to order the CD but I am sure they will announce that soon. Thanks Melisma!
 
CD Melisma_0003

Similar Posts

  • Wordsworth Poems World Premiere

    ByWillem van Merwijk Hours

    Just a block away from London’s Houses of Parliament stands St. John’s Smith Square, a church with quite a history. Built in 1710 it burnt down in 1742, was rebuilt and hit by lightning in 1815, rose from the ashes again and offered room in the interbellum to a boy’s choir with Benjamin Britten one…

  • Premieres premieres premieres

    ByWillem van Merwijk Hours

    Too much happening lately; so busy that I did not have time to write on it… Just pre-informing you – so to say – that my ‘Charlas’ were premiered by the Mirasol Duo at the NASA Biennial in Lubbock, TX, USA, March 12, 2016; that ‘Consecuencias’ for clarinet and string quartet were premiered by Harmen…

  • Adaptation Canciones Flamencas

    ByWillem van Merwijk Hours

    The sax/percussion duo Lorenci/Mlacnik from Slovenia (both of them studying in Amsterdam at the ConservatoriumVanAmsterdam) asked to make an alto sax version of the three Canciones Flamencas, originally for soprano saxophone and marimba (+ bass drum ad lib.). I am a fan of the duo so I could not say no although I am really…

  • Vier Letzte Lieder

    ByWillem van Merwijk Hours

    The Netherlands Wind Ensemble has played a major role in my life for over 30 years. I have been extremely lucky performing with this splendid group and then also being invited to arrange for the ensemble. I owe my performing colleagues, staff members, production crew and directors Bart Schneemann and Niek Wijns so much… Now…

  • Rimas de Bécquer

    ByWillem van Merwijk Hours

    Happy to tell you that I sent out my ‘Rimas de Bécquer’, (five rhymes by the romantic Andalusian poet Gustavo Bécquer (1836-1870)) to Fokko Oldenhuis, conductor of the Utrechtse Studenten Cantorij. Five songs for choir (SATB + soloists SATBar) and soprano saxophone, in all some 16 minutes of music. Thus fulfilling one of the promises…

  • Catching up 4: Dos Caras (Two Faces)

    ByWillem van Merwijk Hours

    Over the years I have of course met quite some colleague saxophonists, but I think the most humorous and simultaneously intelligent colleague/friend is french saxophonist/composer/arranger Philippe Geiss. Alsatian born and since quite some time professor at Strassbourg Academy of Music he is traveling the world as a composer, teacher and musician.His interests and capacities go…