Music for Leisure
The Dutch Symphonic Accordion Orchestra was founded by conductor Tim Fletcher in 2008. The name immediately implies its ambition. It consists of 35 accordionists from all over the country and is by Dutch standards a big accordion orchestra. Once a month the accordionists gather in Bennekom to rehearse.
New compositions and arrangements of classic works and contemporary music are part of this repertoire. The Pièce de résistance of the jubilee concert is “le Cortège d’Orphée” by Carlos Micháns. It is based on a collection of poems by Guillaume Apollinaire in which on every page an animal is depicted.
With few but very well-chosen words Apollinaire was able to describe the ambiguity of the animals. “The accordions are perfect to create the right atmosphere,” Carlos Micháns explains his choice for the accordion orchestra. “Tightness, strong rhythm, the austere but also the sometimes sarcastic lyricism follow each other like in a parade.” The animals: the tortoise, the mouse, the camel, the snake, the octopus, the ibis, the flea, the owl and again the tortoise.
1. Francis Poulenc / arr. Tim Fletcher – Concert in g-minor
Dutch Symphonic Accordion Orchestra led by Tim Fletcher
2. Camille Saint-Saens / arr. Tim Fletcher – Improvisation VII
3. Eugène Gigout / arr. Leo van Lierop – Toccata
Tim Fletcher, Leo van Lierop, accordion
4. Carlos Micháns – le Cortège d’Orphée
Dutch Symphonic Accordion Orchestra & Dutch Vocal Ensemble led by Fokko Oldenhuis
Concertzender recording at the Dominicus church, Amsterdam 25-11-2017. sound engineer: Wijnand de Groot
5. Antonio Vivaldi / arr. Tim Fletcher – from: Concert in a-minor: Allegro
Dutch Symphonic Accordion Orchestra led by Tim Fletcher, Geerten Liefting, organ
NSAO Bonaventura church, Woerden oktober 2013.
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