Repertoire

Johan de Meij: The Painted Bird (2020) 11’ – National premiere
George Gershwin: Rhapsody in Blue (1924) 18’
Sergei Prokofiev (arrangement de Johan de Meij): The Year 1941, Op. 90 (1941) 15’ – World premiere of the Band Version
Johan de Meij: Los libros olvidados (based on The Shadow of the Wind by Carlos Ruiz Zafón) 15’ – Commissioned work, world premiere

ARTISTS

Barcelona Symphonic Band (BMB)
Noelia Rodiles, piano
José R. Pascual-Vilaplana and Johan de Meij, conductors

Programme

This concert is another of the highlights of the Barcelona Symphonic Band season, featuring two first performances and a premiere and showcasing music by composer Johan de Meij, who appears as guest conductor.

Being heard for the first time in Barcelona is the Dutch composer’s work The Painted Bird, based on the novel by Jerzy Kosinski, which tells the story of a young Jewish boy during World War II. Also taking inspiration from a book is El libro olvidado (The Forgotten Book), the premiere of a work commissioned by the Band, based on the novel The Shadow of the Wind by Carlos Ruiz Zafón.

Two further works round off the programme: the highly acclaimed Rhapsody in Blue by George Gershwin, with pianist Noelia Rodiles, and The Year 1941 by Sergei Prokofiev, with the concert band version being performed for the first time. This dramatic suite takes its name from the year in which the author, along with other composers, was evacuated from the Soviet Union when Nazi Germany began its attack.