Lucifer
Lucifer is mainly used in Dutch as an indication of the devil. The main theme - already in the intro - is based on the devilish tritonus (three full tones), the diabolus in musica. Subsequently, all motifs are presented as well as small pieces from Bach's choral "Break Forth, O Beauteous Heavenly Light", which stands for the goodness, for the purest and for the world's hope. Also the poem "Hope" is the thing with feathers (Emily Dickinson) supports this thought. This choral version was written for two high sopranos and is played by brass quartet off stage (behind the orchestra). In a solo cadence, the conscience of humanity (euphonium) and the devil (soprano saxophone ) fight and overcome the good of the bad. Subsequently a fiery dance is created. It is also intended to make a dancer effectively dance into a state of trance. This composition is a call to return to the pure human being with respect and love for all to eventually come to victory over evil. Music can not help to convey such powerful message as no other. “Hope” is the thing with feathers - That perches in the soul - And sings the tune without the words - And never stops - at all - And sweetest - in the Gale - is heard - And sore must be the storm - That could abash the little Bird That kept so many warm - I’ve heard it in the chillest land - And on the strangest Sea - Yet - never - in Extremity, It asked a crumb - of me. Emily Dickinson Nederlands: Lucifer wordt in het Nederlands vooral gebruikt als aanduiding voor de duivel. Het hoofdthema – reeds te horen in de intro - is dan ook gebaseerd op de duivelse tritonus (drie hele toonafstanden), de diabolus in musica. Aansluitend worden alle motieven voorgesteld alsook kleine stukken uit het koraal Break Forth, O Beauteous Heavenly Light (The Christmas Oratorio – J. S. Bach), dat staat voor de goedheid, voor het meest pure en voor de hoop van de wereld. Ook het gedicht “Hope” is the thing with feathers (Emily Dickinson) ondersteunt deze gedachte. Deze koraal zetting werd geschreven voor twee hoge sopranen en wordt door trompet kwartet en trombone off stage gespeeld (achter het orkest). In een solistische cadens vechten en duelleren het geweten van de mensheid (euphonium) en de duivel (sopraansax) om het goede van het slechte te laten overwinnen. Aansluitend ontstaat een vurige dans. Het is de bedoeling om hier ook effectief een danseres te laten opzwepen en in trance te laten gaan. Deze compositie is een oproep om terug te gaan naar het pure mens-zijn met respect en liefde voor iedereen om zo uiteindelijk tot komen tot de overwinning van het kwaad. Muziek kan als geen ander bijdragen tot het uitdragen van dergelijke krachtige boodschap.
Specifications
About the composer
Kevin Houben
Kevin Houben was born in Peer (Belgium) in 1977. At the Lemmens Institute in Leuven, he attained a first prize in trumpet (with Leon Pétré) and pedagogy. He also obtained a masters in concert band conducting (with Jan Van der Roost), symphonic band conducting (with Edmond Saveniers), composition and orchestration (with Jan Van der Roost), chamber music and solfège. Kevin Houben’s work (from 2001), composed only on commission, comprises pieces for solo instrument, brass quintet, brass ensemble, wind orchestra, fanfare orchestra, brass band and symphonic orchestra. In 2003, he won the ‘Sabam’ and the public’s prize at the ‘2ième Concours International de composition pour orchestre à vents de Comines-Warneton’ for the work Arcana. With this same composition, he won the ‘3rd European Composer’s Competition 2006 European Brass Band Association’ in Belfast (Northern Ireland) in April 2006. In 2009, he won the EBBC public’s prize with the work Thyellene – ‘Battle on the Heath’ as well as the 3th place at the composition contest for brass bands during the EBBC in Belgium (Ostend). In 2011, he released his first compilation CD, Procession to Calvary - The music of Kevin Houben. During the 2015 festival ‘TOMORROWLAND’ in Belgium, he worked closely with the Belgium National Symphonic Orchestra (NOB) as an arranger and orchestrator of dance tracks including David Guetta, Armin van Buuren and Dimitri Vegas. Houben also orchestrated the special composition Hymne (by Hans Zimmer) for the event. In 2016, he won the prestigious international BUMA brass award. In 2017, he composed his first Symphony, it was premiered by the Belgium National Symphonic Orchestra (NOB) and conducted by the maestro, Brossé. The same year he also was Composer in Residence in Lithuania and he wrote Where Angels Fly, Commissioned for the 2017 European Brass Band Championships by Vlamo, the Flemish Association for Music Bands and Musicians. It was the test piece for the champion division during the EBBC in Ostend.Besides being a versatile and prolific composer he is also very much in demand as an adjudicator, holder of clinics and guest conductor. He has travelled all around the world to conduct his own work on various occasions, working with many renowned orchestras. Amongst these orchestras are the Johan Willem Friso Chapel (Nl), Symphonic Windband of the Belgian Air Force, Symphonic Windband of the Lemmensinstitute and the Symphonic Windband of the Lithuanian Armed Forces. In addition, he conducted several orchestras with absolute topsoloists like Allen Vizzutti (Tp), Benny Wiame (Tp), Ivan Meylemans (Tb) and Iris Luypaers (soprano). Kevin Houben is conductor of the Youth Wind Band (since 2009) and also the Symphonic Wind Band (since 2015) of the Koninklijke Harmonie van Peer and Fanfare orchestra St. Jozefsgilde Mol-Sluis (2000-2015) With the Youth Wind Band of the Koninklijke Harmonie van Peer, he won first prize at the International Competition for Youth Wind Bands of the Mid Europe festival in Schladming (Austria) in July 2010. Also with this orchestra, he obtained the highest score - Summa Cum Laude - at the European Music Festival for Young People in Neerpelt (Belgium) in May 2011. In July 2013 he became World Champion with the Youth Orchestra of the Koninklijke Harmonie van Peer during WMC in Kerkrade in third division and Vice World Champion with the Fanfare orchestra St. Jozefsgilde Mol-Sluis in third division. With the Band of the Koninklijke Harmonie Peer he won the ‘Certamen Internacional de Bandas de Música, Ciudad de Valencia’ on July 22 (2016) with 98%, the highest score of the competition. His musical activities have taken place in various countries in three continents and his compositions have been performed and recorded around the world.