African Christmas.

For Recorder Quartet ATBG

1. And she expected a child
2. Where shall we go?
3. Fear not!
4. Singing him to sleep
5. The three Magi

I have to admit: I love christmas. Although I am an atheist I always felt a deep connection to this feast: The couple looking for a home; the newborn child; the angel’s soothing words FEAR NOT; the wonderful surrealistic three magi with their presents. In my view this is the celebration of the biggest thing in the world, the birth of a child, a celebration of life itself. The light that shines in the darkness. And then I also love everything surrounding Christmas: the candles, the tree, the marzipan, and – the recorder! This is the time of the year with the most recorder concerts. So it’s rather a miracle that I needed so long to write this piece that brings everything together: my love for Christmas, for the recorder, and for Africa. When I listened to the premiere in Boxtel on November 27 2021, played by the fabulous Seldom Sene, I felt that this music really transports the overall message of Christmas: Consolation, hope and joy.

Hester Groenleer remarked at the occasion that the piece also reflects the situation of musicians in the times of lockdowns: “Where shall we go?” (second movement), when all concert halls are closed and even rehearsing is banned? And when will we start listening to the angel: FEAR NOT? We cannot and should not let fear dominate our lives. Life is only meaningful when we fill it with love, when we live it to the fullest and dedicate ourselves in building up wonderful things.

My biggest thanks to María Martina Ayerza, Hester Groenleer, Eva Lio, Ruth Dyson and Stephanie Brandt for playing the premiere so wonderfully and thus lighting a candle in my composer’s life.

You can see the youtube recordings here:

Ouverture:
https://youtu.be/1uA_rjCLg1c

Where shall we go?
https://youtu.be/KNSZs_Tooqg

Fear not!
https://youtu.be/Go7grk57ZM0

Singing him to sleep
https://youtu.be/48P7xnpsIhE

The Three Magi
https://youtu.be/0VNcIiI9U8M

number of pages: 
20
Price: 
19,90 Euro