This 24th installment is proposed by Michael Meininger, German Conductor, music educator and board member of WASBE Section Germany since 2016.
Grade 1.5
Fanal 2 (2018) – 1'40" – Purchase at H&H Musikverlag
Stephan Adam (Germany, 1954)
Fanal 2 is a composition for beginning band that focuses on establishing the first steps of purposeful polyphony. A driving rhythmic motif, which serves as the unison framework of the composition, is gradually expanded—first into two-part harmony, then three-part harmony—before returning to the beginning. The key aspect of this composition is the craftsmanship with which Stephan Adam works, allowing a wind ensemble to be trained beyond the standard repertoire.
A clear structure in ABA form, carefully placed articulation markings, and dynamic demands—always paired with a symphonically arranged percussion section—offer numerous points of reference for introducing essential elements of symphonic wind music early on and learning them in a playful manner.
The title Fanal 2 fits this concept perfectly. After composing Fanal in 2015 for the festival UNerHÖRTes—a German wordplay meaning both “unheard-of” (in the sense of new, never-before-heard music) and “outrageous” (as in provoking a reaction)—Stephan Adam followed up with Fanal 2 in 2018. The term Fanal means nothing more and nothing less than an event, action, or signal that serves as a widely visible sign, heralding change and the beginning of something new. The title could not be more fitting for preparing a wind ensemble for symphonic wind music.
The composer Stephan Adam, who hails from the German state of Hesse, studied church music and attended several seminars of conducting, composition and music theorie with Helmut Relling, Kurt Hessenberg and Hans Ulrich Engelmann at the University of Music in Frankfurt.
He created a lot of works, from chamber, music for choir through to works for grand orchestra and especially for concert band. He prefers to handle with very different stylistics, varied forms and configurations.
Mostly his pieces were ordered by festivals and broadcasting companies. Some of his works received prizes at international contests. Recently he executed several pieces for chorus, chant, organ and concert band.
More on Stephan Adam
Grade 2.5
The Land of the Cornflower (2014) – 6’30” – Gobelin Music Publications
Rob Goorhuis ( The Netherlands, 1948)
The Land of the Cornflower is a masterfully crafted piece, perfectly suited for training youth orchestras in various aspects. In addition to fostering a strong sense of joy in playing within the ensemble, it also provides opportunities for more advanced musicians to take on soloistic roles. This composition, featuring chamber music-like instrumentation in many sections, works exceptionally well even with smaller ensembles. It is tonally simple (ranging between F major and G major), incorporates different time signatures, and places a clear focus on developing intonation, sound balance, and phrasing.
Thanks to its well-crafted composition, rehearsing this piece remains enjoyable even after several weeks, continually offering musicians new elements to discover.
In this work, composer Rob Goorhuis integrates various Estonian folk songs. The blue cornflower has been Estonia’s national flower since 1968, symbolized resistance during Soviet rule, and serves as the inspiration for the piece’s title. Estonia’s rich folk dance tradition is particularly highlighted through the incorporation of traditional dances in the composition.
Rob Goorhuis is a Dutch composer, music educator, conductor, harpsichordist, pianist, and organist. He is also a highly sought-after lecturer in and beyond the borders of the Netherlands.
More on Rob Goorhuis
Grade 3
Genesis (2009) – 6’40” – Purchase at Hal Leonard
James Curnow (USA, 1945)
James Curnow is one of the grand seigneurs among contemporary American composers and is therefore far from an unknown name. However, his composition Genesis is rarely performed and is considered one of his lesser-known works. This vibrant piece can be seen as an insider tip for the musical development of an orchestra, especially in terms of timbre.
The title and concept of Genesis are based on the creation story from the Book of Genesis. However, the composition does not follow a strict narrative or a seven-part structure. Instead, Curnow crafts a continuous musical interpretation of the biblical story, incorporating musical quotes from Saint-Saëns' Carnival of the Animals at various points.
While the piece contains some smaller solo passages, its primary focus is on exploring the full spectrum of orchestral sound. Curnow consistently introduces new colors and skillfully combines them, providing valuable training opportunities for the ensemble. Depending on the desired tone color, he assigns different roles to the instruments with great expertise, allowing for a nuanced and dynamic orchestral experience.
Grade 3
Clouds (2010) – 10’50” – Purchase at Molenaar Edition
Eric Swiggers (The Netherlands, 1968)
Clouds disguises a modern musical language with highly accessible means. The three movements are each assigned a different type of cloud, reflecting a distinct mood.
In the first movement, Cumulus, the billowing cumulus cloud typically represents sunny weather, portrayed through a memorable melody that is occasionally pierced by sunrays in the form of rhythmic elements.
The second movement, Cirrocumulus, depicts delicate, fleecy clouds that can signal an approaching storm. This is musically illustrated through special percussion effects, such as a cymbal resting on a timpani head, creating a tension-filled atmosphere. Dark, low brass and fanfare-like interjections only briefly mask the underlying melancholy, which gradually takes on increasingly ominous shapes. The long, expressive phrases in this section are particularly noteworthy.
The third movement, Cumulonimbus, lives up to its name as a thundercloud. A driving bass drum is accompanied by shifting rhythms in the low brass. Sharp brass accents and rapid woodwind runs add to the sense of urgency and suspense.
Commissioned by Kunstfactor, a national Dutch institute for active participation in arts and culture, the work impresses through its combination of sophisticated and versatile musical parameters with a strong, intuitive sense of phrasing and form.
Eric Swiggers completed his master's degrees in piano and wind orchestra conducting at the Tilburg Conservatory. As a conductor, he collaborates with numerous renowned orchestras and has won several awards and distinctions. He describes his compositional style as „contemporary, refreshing but accessible".
Grade 4
Mondspiegel (ein Nachtbild, op. 55) (1999) – 10’ – Purchase at Edition Flor
Rolf Rudin (Germany, 1961)
The fascinating work Mondspiegel (Moon Mirror) is part of an unfinished cycle of Night Images, which, according to the composer, is deliberately intended to "develop innovative and contemporary stylistic elements for the genre of the symphonic wind orchestra at a moderate level of difficulty." This endeavor succeeds and proves to be an absolutely rewarding process, introducing both the orchestra and the audience to a sound language that is often still unfamiliar.
Rudin bases his composition on a specific set of tones and structures the entire work around the number five. For example, the piece is consistently composed in five-bar phrases, the tonal material is derived exclusively from pentatonic scales, and the five-note motif unfolds over five measures to form the main theme of the composition. Particularly intriguing is the inclusion of a five-part female choir from a recording, singing the pentatonic main motif without a fixed rhythm. Combined with a narrator positioned behind the stage, who recites an epigram about the moon at a designated moment, this creates an extraordinary atmosphere for everyone involved.
Rudin himself writes about his composition:
“The work, intended as the final piece of the still-evolving cycle [Night Images], reflects sensations of moonlit nocturnality, which are distinctly characterized by a fresh and confident brightness: a perception of nature that does not shy away from romantic undertones and imagines nocturnality as encompassing aspects of energy renewal, anticipation, and the experience of the end of darkness.” Program notes by Rolf Rudin.
Rolf Rudin is former WASBE board Member and an internationally recognized German composer. He stands in the tradition of German composers and studied under Bertold Hummel (1925–2002), who in turn studied under Paul Hindemith (1895–1963). Both Hummel and Hindemith also composed for wind orchestra. Rolf Rudin’s catalog of works currently includes 49 compositions for wind orchestra, some of which have a duration of over 50 minutes, include ballet or big choirs.
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