La Quintessenza for Wind Orchestra
Johan de MEIJ
(b.1953)

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, the composer tries to get through to the essence of the musical matter.

It opens with a fanfare for brass (Introduzione) followed by a burlesque variant on the same five-note motif (Capriccio). The core of the composition is a lyrical section (Arioso). The main motif is transformed into a march-like figure and the work is concluded by a re-introduction of the opening theme.

La Quintessenza was commissioned by Carroll County Public Schools (Maryland, USA) and was premiered by 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 conducted by Pieter Jansen, at the annual Red Cross Concert in the Amsterdam Concertgebouw Concert Hall on 15 May 1998.

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