Vier Letzte Lieder

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 at the age of 61 and with a new generation of great arrangers coming up and deserving the same opportunities I had I made what will probably be one of my final large arrangements/orchestrations for the band: Richard Strauss’ 4 Last Songs.
We’re now halfway a 13 concert tour in the Netherlands and it has been a thrill. Of course it is all about singing in this tour and a wonderful magical alto-mezzo is enchanting us every night: Carina Vinke. So delicate, so intimate…. She sings like a viola. (my favorite string instrument…) Tonight Concertgebouw Amsterdam. Looking forward. And there is a chance that a serious recording may come out. I’ll keep you posted!

Similar Posts

  • Present from the Melisma Quartet

    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…

  • Catching up 2: Leyendas… (Legends)

    In the summer of 2018 Zagreb (Croatia) hosted the World Saxophone Congress and there a longstanding wish came true: the premiere of a (substantial) concerto for alto saxophone and symphony orchestra written for my dear friend for over 35 years: Arno Bornkamp. A legend by himself and without doubt one of the greatest virtuosos and…

  • El Maestrat premiere

    Saturday the 22nd of November 2014 will see the premiere of my three movement piece El Maestrat. Commissioned by the Sax2014 Festival http://saxfestival.nl and written for a huge saxophone orchestra of amateur performers from all levels. Location: Muziekgebouw aan het IJ in Amsterdam, the Netherlands. The three movements all speak of ‘El Maestrat’ (Català)(El Maestrazgo…

  • Premiere of Consecuencias

    Good news today: confirmation of the premiere of ‘Consecuencias’ at the SAX2015 Festival at the CvA (Conservatorium van Amsterdam) by my friend and colleague Arno Bornkamp. Consecuencias is a piece for alto sax and string quartet in three movements. Premiere will be on Friday 27th of November 2015 at 19.00 hours in the CvA.  

  • Wind Quintet, BOST

    One of the finest musicians I ever worked with is hornplayer Ron Schaaper (Residentie Orchestra The Hague; Netherlands Wind Ensemble). He also plays some lovely guitar and sings wonderfully, a typical specimen of a very handy and naturally gifted musician. (with a good sense of humor) Always wanted to write something for him and two…

  • Adaptation Canciones Flamencas

    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…