Johan de Meij
Encyclopedia
Johannes Abraham de Meij (ˈjohɑn dʏ ˈmɛi, born November 23, 1953, Voorburg
) is a Dutch conductor, trombonist, and composer, best known for his Symphony No. 1, nicknamed "The Lord of the Rings" symphony.
sr. and Piet van Dijk for trombone
and euphonium
. In 1976 he was conscripted and joined the military band
Trompetterkorps der Cavalerie, Amersfoort. After he finished his conscription, in 1977, he became a euphonium player with the Amsterdamse Politiekapel.
In 1978, de Meij started his studies at the Royal Conservatory in The Hague
with Arthur Moore (trombone), and with Rocus van Yperen and Jan van Ossenbruggen (conducting).
De Meij's engagement in the professional Haags Koper Ensemble, with wind instrument players from the Radio-Philharmonisch Orkest, Utrechts Symphonie Orkest, and Residentie Orkest
was an important step in his career. This ensemble performed national concerts and also frequently on the radio. In addition to performing in the ensemble, De Meij also did administrative work and wrote special arrangements and one original composition.
Soon the arrangements that de Meij wrote for concert band were played not only by the Amsterdamse Politiekapel but also by many concert bands and orchestras in the Netherlands and abroad. Consequently he received various requests to make arrangements for concert bands. His first symphony, entitled The Lord of the Rings, for concert band premiered in 1988 with the Royal Symphonic Band of the Belgian Guides conducted by Norbert Nozy
. The CD by the military band Koninklijke Militaire Kapel made the symphony famous. The symphony is based on themes from the novel by J. R. R. Tolkien
; it consists of five separate movements, each illustrating a personage or an important episode from the book.
In 1989 the symphony was awarded the Sudler Composition Award. Also an orchestral version exists, which premiered in 2001.
Voorburg
Voorburg is a Dutch town and former municipality in the western part of the province of South Holland, the Netherlands. As also Leidschendam and Stompwijk, it is part of the municipality Leidschendam-Voorburg. It has approximately 39,000 inhabitants....
) is a Dutch conductor, trombonist, and composer, best known for his Symphony No. 1, nicknamed "The Lord of the Rings" symphony.
Biography
De Meij's musical career started when he was fifteen years old at the concert band Harmonie Forum Hadriani in Voorburg, the Netherlands. At that time he was a pupil of Anner BylsmaAnner Bylsma
Anner Bylsma is a Dutch cellist who plays on both modern, and period instruments in an historically informed baroque style. He took an interest in music from an early age...
sr. and Piet van Dijk for trombone
Trombone
The trombone is a musical instrument in the brass family. Like all brass instruments, sound is produced when the player’s vibrating lips cause the air column inside the instrument to vibrate...
and euphonium
Euphonium
The euphonium is a conical-bore, tenor-voiced brass instrument. It derives its name from the Greek word euphonos, meaning "well-sounding" or "sweet-voiced"...
. In 1976 he was conscripted and joined the military band
Military band
A military band originally was a group of personnel that performs musical duties for military functions, usually for the armed forces. A typical military band consists mostly of wind and percussion instruments. The conductor of a band commonly bears the title of Bandmaster or Director of Music...
Trompetterkorps der Cavalerie, Amersfoort. After he finished his conscription, in 1977, he became a euphonium player with the Amsterdamse Politiekapel.
In 1978, de Meij started his studies at the Royal Conservatory in The Hague
The Hague
The Hague is the capital city of the province of South Holland in the Netherlands. With a population of 500,000 inhabitants , it is the third largest city of the Netherlands, after Amsterdam and Rotterdam...
with Arthur Moore (trombone), and with Rocus van Yperen and Jan van Ossenbruggen (conducting).
De Meij's engagement in the professional Haags Koper Ensemble, with wind instrument players from the Radio-Philharmonisch Orkest, Utrechts Symphonie Orkest, and Residentie Orkest
Residentie Orchestra
Het Residentie Orkest is a Dutch orchestra based in The Hague. Its primary venue is the Dr. Anton Philipszaal....
was an important step in his career. This ensemble performed national concerts and also frequently on the radio. In addition to performing in the ensemble, De Meij also did administrative work and wrote special arrangements and one original composition.
Soon the arrangements that de Meij wrote for concert band were played not only by the Amsterdamse Politiekapel but also by many concert bands and orchestras in the Netherlands and abroad. Consequently he received various requests to make arrangements for concert bands. His first symphony, entitled The Lord of the Rings, for concert band premiered in 1988 with the Royal Symphonic Band of the Belgian Guides conducted by Norbert Nozy
Norbert H. J. Nozy
Norbert H. J. Nozy is a contemporary Belgian conductor, music educator, and classical saxophonist.- Education :...
. The CD by the military band Koninklijke Militaire Kapel made the symphony famous. The symphony is based on themes from the novel by J. R. R. Tolkien
J. R. R. Tolkien
John Ronald Reuel Tolkien, CBE was an English writer, poet, philologist, and university professor, best known as the author of the classic high fantasy works The Hobbit, The Lord of the Rings, and The Silmarillion.Tolkien was Rawlinson and Bosworth Professor of Anglo-Saxon at Pembroke College,...
; it consists of five separate movements, each illustrating a personage or an important episode from the book.
In 1989 the symphony was awarded the Sudler Composition Award. Also an orchestral version exists, which premiered in 2001.
Works (incomplete)
- 1979 Patchwork for brass sextet
- 1984-1988 Symphony No. 1 "The Lord of the Rings"
- Gandalf
- Lothlórien
- Gollum
- Journey in the Dark
- Hobbits
- 1988 Loch Ness - A Scottish Fantasy
- The Lake At Dawn
- Slowly
- Inverness
- Storm
- Conclusion
- 1989 Aquarium opus 5
- Allegretto grazioso (Neon Tetra, Electric Eel and Angelfish)
- Andante / Adagio (Sea Horse and Zebrafish)
- Finale: Allegro giocoso (Guppy & Co.)
- 1993 Symphony No. 2 "The Big Apple" (A New York Symphony)
- Skyline - Allegro assai
- Interlude - Times Square Cadenza
- Gotham - Largamente, allegro agitato e nervoso
- 1995 Polish Christmas Music- Part 1
- based on the Polish Christmas carols Poklon Jezusowi; Mizerna, cicha; Aniol pasterzom mówil; Gdy sliczna Panna and Jam jest dudka
- 1995 Jazz Suite No.2 (of Dmitri ShostakovichDmitri ShostakovichDmitri Dmitriyevich Shostakovich was a Soviet Russian composer and one of the most celebrated composers of the 20th century....
) Classical transcription for symphonic/fanfare band- March
- Lyric Waltz
- Dance I
- Dance II
- Waltz no. 2
- Final
- 1996 T-Bone ConcertoT-Bone ConcertoJohan de Meij's T-bone Concerto for solo trombone and wind band was completed in January 1996. The work was commissioned by the Kentucky Music Educators Association for performance at the 1996 KMEA annual conference...
for trombone and concert band- Rare
- Medium
- Well done
- 1997 Continental Overture
- 1998 La Quintessenza
- Introduzione
- Capriccio
- Arioso
- Alla Marcia
- 2000 Casanova for cello solo and symphonic wind orchestra
- Prologo – Il Tema di Messer Grande
- Cadenza – Attos di Presentazione
- La Vita a Corte
- L'Arresto di Casanova
- Reminiscenze
- L'Evasione dai Piombi
- M.M. e C.C.
- Finale e Stretto: Il Trionfo dell'Amore
- 2002 The Venitian Collection
- Voice of Space (La Voix des Airs)
- The Red Tower (La Torre Rossa)
- Magic Garden (Zaubergarten)
- Empire of Light (L'Empire des Lumières)
- KlezmerKlezmerKlezmer is a musical tradition of the Ashkenazic Jews of Eastern Europe. Played by professional musicians called klezmorim, the genre originally consisted largely of dance tunes and instrumental display pieces for weddings and other celebrations...
Classics for wind orchestra- Mazltov
- Dem Trisker Rebn’s Nign
- Lomir Sich Iberbetn
- Chosidl
- Ma Yofus
- The Wind in the Willows
- The River
- Ratty and Mole
- Mister Toad
- The Return of Ulysses
- 2005 Extreme Make-over
- Testpiece for the European Brass Band Contest 2005, Groningen-NL.
- 2006 Symphony No. 3 "Planet Earth"
- Lonely Planet
- Planet Earth
- Mother Earth
- 2007 Canticles for Bass Trombone and Wind Orchestra
- 2007 Festive Hymn
- 2008 Dutch Masters Suite
- The Night Watch (after Rembrandt van Rijn)
- The Love Letter (after Johannes Vermeer)
- Prince’s Day (after Jan Steen)
- 2010 Spring - Overture for Wind Orchestra
- 2010 At Kitty O'Sheas (Irish Folk Song Suite)