St. Martin's Suite

This suite was composed by Jan Van der Roost on the occasion of the 110th anniversary of the ‘Koninklijke Sint Martinusfanfare’ (Royal Saint Martinus Fanfare Band) from Halle (Belgium). The composer was required to create a suite in three movements based on three images associated with the ‘Sint Martinusfanfare’ from the small town of Halle in the province of Brabant. The first movement (Andante Pomposo) describes Martin, a soldier in the Roman army. In Andante Moderato we see the image of Martin, who become a Christian and chooses to devote his life to God. In this movement, the composer was inspired by the Brabantine gothic art of the Sint Martinus Basilica in Halle. Thecontrast between the dark Basilica and the statue of Our Lady between the soaring pillars will vividly come to life for audiences of this descriptive piece. The final movement, Allegro Molto Vivace’, could have been an image for a frivolous peasant in the Halle carnival. In a triptych about St. Martin it is more fitting to refer to it as an apotheosis, the crown on the pastoral work of Martin, Bishop of Tours, Patron Saint of the Fanfare Band and the Basilica of Halle.