Homage to Malando
Homage to Malando, exclusive Concert performed by brass band Pius X, Poeldijk (40-strong).
Voice-over: Bas Liebeek
Conductor: Geert Schrijvers
Recording: Wijnand de Groot (Concertzender
Malando (Arie Maasland, born 1908, Rotterdam) was very important for the world of Dutch music. Commercially as well, seeing as his records were sold all over the world. The people at the BUMA Association were driven mad by the payments of royalties for his numerous compositions, such as ‘Olé guapa’ to the point of buying it off with an annual benefit. The Maasland family was very well off with that.
=Radio programmes=
For years, the radio programmes could be heard weekly, and different singers came and went over the years. Frans Wanders, who was also a bass player, stayed on the longest. Recurring long-lasting tours, especially to Japan with the entire orchestra, have stood firm for years. Malando’s speciality was the tango; he composed 62, most of which have been put on gramophone records. Additionally, there are other rhythms such as bolero, mambo, pasodoble. But his 4 Suites, impressive pieces of work with a specific theme, have unfortunately never been played on this sound recording medium. Because of their ‘greatness’, the performances of those pieces have only seen limited time even on the radio.
Alois Broeke, a great authority on Malando and his work, managed to convince his friend Geert Schrijvers, conductor of various large orchestras, to make an arrangement for a 40-man brass band orchestra. Geert became very interested in Malando’s masterful work, and so it came to be performed by brass band orchestra Pius X from Poeldijk, which has existed since 1912 and been very active, at the De Veste theatre in Delft on 23 November 2013. An arrangement of the first suite had been made once before by Kees Vlak.
The presence of producer Henk Braaksma at this one-off concert led to an agreement to perform this ‘treat’ once more in order to record it for the Concertzender. We can safely assume that, in the afterlife, Malando is very delighted and proud of the fact that this piece is going on the air in a great performance of 40 people. Two suites were performed, as well as a particularly difficult piece ‘Rumba en cinco (5)’ in 5/4, but of course we cannot forget that legendary tango, ‘Olé guapa’.
By the way, Alois Broeke made an impressive book about Malando, divided into 4 parts in which his entire life (Chronology), Compositions, Picture Album and Discography are described in great detail. It was published on Broeke’s own books in 1999.
You can listen to brass band orchestra PIUS X Poeldijk led by Geert Schrijvers
(voice-over: Bas Liebeek)
- Ammerland, (Jacob de Haan)
- Cordilleras De Los Andes, (A. Malando, arr.: Kees Vlak)
part 3: Coropuna
part 1: Cotapaxi
part 2: Illimani - Olé Guapa, tango, (A. Malando arr.: Geert Schrijvers)
- Rumba en Cinco, (A. Malando arr.: Geert Schrijvers)
- Lástima! (A. Malando arr.: Kees Vlak)
- Rivieren Cyclus, (A. Malando arr.: Kees Vlak)
part 1. Río Negro
part 2. Orinoco
part 3. Chubut - Ammerland (reprise) (Jacob de Haan)
- Coplas de Málaga (A. Malando)
- Malando orchestra led by Arie Maasland, Recuerdos de Buenos Aires, op. 137 (1975)
1. Plaza de Mayo
2. Avenida Corientes
3. Barrio de la Boca
4. Parque Colón
This programme will be broadcast once more as Concertzender Live on 27 June 2014, from 5 to 6 PM
