La Quintessenza
General Info
Year: 1990 / 1998
Duration: c. 12:00
Difficulty: (see Ratings for explanation)
Origiral Medium: Fanfare Orchestra
Publisher: Amstel Music
Cost: Score and Parts (print) - $178.00
Movements (played without pause)
1. Introduzione – 2:16
2. Capriccio – 3:09
3. Arioso – 3:27
4. Alla Marcia – 2:16
5. Finale – 0:54
Instrumentation
Full Score
Piccolo
Flute I-II
Oboe I-II
English Horn
Bassoon I-II
E-flat Clarinet
B-flat Clarinet I-II-III
E-flat Alto Clarinet
B-flat Bass Clarinet
E-flat Alto Saxophone I-II
B-flat Tenor Saxophone
E-flat Baritone Saxohone
B-flat Trumpet I-II-III-IV
Horn in F I-II-III-IV
Trombone I-II-III
Baritone/Euphonium
Bass
String Bass
Harp
Piano
Timpani
Percussion, including:
- Bass Drum
- Bells
- Castanets
- Crash Cymbal
- Marimba
- Snare Drum
- Suspended Cymbal
- Tambourine
- Tam-Tam
- Temple Block
- Tom-tom
- Triangle
- Tubular Bells
- Vibraphone
- Xylophone
Errata
None discovered thus far.
Program Notes
La Quintessenza is a musical approach of the quintessence, the heart of the matter. By focusing a five-note motif in a number of variants, De Meij tries to get through to the essence of the musical matter. The core of the composition is a lyrical middle part (Arioso), preceded by an opening fanfare for brass (Introduzione) and a burlesque variant on the same motif (Capriccio). In the fourth part (Alla Marcia) this main motif is only used as an ambient signal, and in the Finale the opening theme is repeated so the musical walk-round is complete.
"La Quintessenza" was commissioned by the Carroll County Public Schools, Maryland, and was premiered by the Carroll County All State Band, conducted by Harlan Parker, in Westminster on 28 February 1998. The first European performance was given by the Royal Dutch Military Band (Koninklijke Militaire Kapel), conducted by Pieter Jansen, at the annual Red Cross Concert in the Amsterdam Concertgebouw on 15 May 1998.
"La Quintessenza" is a revised version of the composition "Pentagram" (for fanfare band) dating from 1990. This work was re-orchestrated for symphonic band at the commissioners' request.
- Program Note from publisher
Media
- Audio CD: Marine Band of Royal Netherlands Navy (Pieter Jansen, conductor) - 2006
- Audio CD: Johan Willem Friso Military Band (Alex Schillings, conductor) - 2000
State Ratings
- Arkansas: V
Performances
To submit a performance please join The Wind Repertory Project
- Czech National Concert Band (Joop Boerstoel, conductor) – 22 July 2022 (WASBE Conference, Prague, Czech Republic)
- Stanford University (Palo Alto, Calif.) Wind Symphony (Giancarlo Aquilanti, conductor) - 3 March 2018
- Armstrong State University (Savannah, Ga.) Savannah Winds (Mark B. Johnson, conductor) - 10 March 2015
- Contra Costa Wind Symphony (Walnut Creek, Calif.) (Duane A. Carroll, conductor) - 18 May 2014
- Singapore Wind Symphony and KLM Royal Dutch Airlines Band (Johan de Meij, conductor) - 12 May 2013
- Carroll County (Westminster, Md.) All State Band (Harlan Parker, conductor) - 28 February 1998 *Premiere Performance*
Works for Winds by This Composer
- African Harmony (2017)
- Aladdin Suite (as arranger)
- American Prelude
- Aquarium (1991)
- At Kitty O'Shea's (2011)
- Beatles Collection (as arranger) (1982)
- Canticles (2007)
- Casanova (2000)
- Celtic Classics (2016)
- Ceremonial Fanfare (2005)
- Chanson de Matin (as arranger) (c. 1890/1988)
- Clair de lune (as arranger) (1890/1905/2017)
- Cloud Factory (2011)
- Continental Overture (1997)
- Copacabana (as arranger)
- Downtown Divertimento (2014)
- Dutch Masters Suite (2008)
- Echoes of San Marco (2016)
- Edgar (as arranger) (1889/2008)
- Extreme Make-Over (2004)
- Extreme Beethoven (2012)
- Fellini (2015)
- Festive Hymn (2007)
- Fifty Shades of E (2016)
- Highlights from "Riverdance" (as arranger) (1994/2014)
- Highlights from the Seville Suite (as arranger) (1992/2011)
- Hobbits Dance and Hymn (arr. Lavender) (1987/2006)
- Honky Tonk Ragtime (as arranger) (1985)
- James Bond 007 (1983/2021)
- Jazz Suite No. 2 (as arranger) (post-1956/1994)
- March (as arranger) (post-1956/1994)
- Lyric Waltz (as arranger) (post-1956/1995)
- Dance I (as arranger) (post-1956/1994)
- Dance II (as arranger) (post-1956/1994)
- Waltz No. 2 (as arranger) (post-1956/1994)
- Finale (as arranger) (post-1956/1994)
- Joropo (as arranger)
- Jupiter Hymn (as arranger)
- Klezmer Classics (2004)
- La Fanciulla del West (as arranger) (1910/2008)
- La Quintessenza (1990/1998)
- Les Papillons (as editor)
- Loch Ness (1988)
- Lord of the Rings. See: Symphony No. 1
- Lord of the Rings (arr. Lavender) (1987/2001)
- Los Cuatro Vientos (2021)
- Madurodam (1997)
- March to Mars (as arranger) (1987)
- Marche Americana (as editor) (1997)
- A Midsummer Night's Dream (as arranger) (1826/2022)
- Moment for Morricone (as arranger) (1966/1996)
- Mondriaan (2021)
- Musical Highlights from "Chess" (as arranger) (1993)
- The Painted Bird (2021)
- Pavane (as arranger) (1899/1991)
- Pennsylvania Faux Songs (2018)
- Phantom of the Opera (as arranger)
- Polish Christmas Music, Part I (1995)
- Ratatouille Satirique (as arranger) (/1994)
- Romeo and Juliet (as arranger). See: Suite from the Ballet "Romeo & Juliet"
- Rotterdam 1945 (2019)
- Sinfonietta No. 1 (2011/2012)
- Songs from the Catskills (2012)
- Spring (2010)
- Star Wars Saga (as arranger) (1987)
- Suite for Variety Orchestra (as arranger) (post 1956/1994)
- Suite from the Ballet "Romeo & Juliet" (as arranger) (1935/1990)
- Summer (2013)
- Symphony No. 1 (1987)
- Symphony No. 2 (1993)
- Symphony No. 3 (2007)
- Symphony No. 4 (2013)
- Symphony No. 5 (2018)
- Ancalagon, the Black (2018)
- UFO Concerto (2012)
- T-Bone Concerto (1996)
- Te Deum (as transcriber) (1900/2010)
- Two-Bone Concerto (2016)
- Teddy Trombone (as arranger)
- Triptychon (2023)
- Triumphal March (as arranger) (1872/2003)
- Un Momento Dado (2021)
- The Venetian Collection
- Via Claudia (2012)
- Wind in the Willows (2002)
- Windy City Overture (2006)
- The Witches' Sabbath (as arranger)
- The Woman in White (as arranger) (2006)
- The Year 2020 (2022)
Resources
- Johan de Meij website Accessed 23 March 2022