Hora Est

Hora Est! (Latin for ‘it is time!’) was composed to bid adieu to Sjoerd de Boer’s following forty years as conductor of the Chr. Fanfare Band, based in the town of Wjelsryp in the Netherlands. In the Netherlands, this small phrase, hora est, is traditionally said upon awarding a university doctorate at graduation ceremonies. The composition was written with Sjoerd de Boer firmly in mind, mirroring various aspects of his life. The main motif of the work consists of three notes, forming his initials: S (Eb) – D – B. At a certain point, the music is interrupted by a thunderstorm and heavy rain (forever a bad omen: the debut for this work took place a day after such a deluge, but fortunately their open-air concert was met with clear blue skies.) The fanfare then plays an Italianesque march, with the motif of de Boer’s initials interwoven throughout. The work re-uses this motif twice towards the end of the piece – as one might expect, by the saxophones – to create a festive, driven and virtuosic atmosphere. Finally, the work comes to an end with the initials motif played across the ensemble in complete unison. The powerful closing chords symbolise a fond farewell to de Boer: a driven and extremely capable conductor whose musical mark on Concordia will be felt for years to come. Hora Est! is suitable as a contest piece and would be a definite highlight for any upcoming concert.