Galea et Bellum

Galea et Bellum was commissioned by the Excelsior Schraard music society (Friesland, the Netherlands). The work tells the story of a rare helmet that was discovered in a church in the Frisian village of Schettens in 2015. Research revealed that it had been the property of Skelte van Aysma, a Frisian officer who fought in the armies of the Princes of Orange Maurice and Frederick Henry during the Eighty Years’ War. This little piece of history was the starting point for this composition. As a leitmotif, the hymn ‘Ach wie flüchtig, ach wie nichtig ist der Menschen Leben’ (‘Ah, how fleeting, ah how insignificant’) has been used. This 17th century melody by Michel Franck, inan arrangement by Johann Sebastian Bach, initially appears only in fragments, but grows to full stature toward the end of the work. An ideal contest piece with lots of challenges for your band.