DE MEIJ Symphony No. 1, The Lord of the Rings: Mvt. 1 - "The President's Own" U.S. Marine Band

Johan de Meij conducts his Symphony No. 1 "Lord of the Rings" with "The President's Own" United States Marine Band on Feb. 25, 2018, at the Clarice Smith Performing Arts Center at the University of Maryland in College Park. www.marineband.marines.mil/
About the composer: www.johandemeij.com/
Colonel Fettig and Johan de Meij Discuss Symphony No. 1, The Lord of the Rings: kzbin.info?o=U&vide...
Complete playlist: • DE MEIJ Symphony No. 1...

[@julianb4245]

Great to see him sitting at the front row to see the premiere of a symphony dedicated to his late brother Gandalf.

[@davidcontos7477]

Julian B The white wizard lives! 😋

[@obiwan88]

That's actually Leif Segerstam the Finnish composer / conductor who wrote 344 symphonies as of April 2021.

[@coreyvansickle7182]

I knew he had a music background, but I had no idea James May was such a fantastic conductor!

[@mickeymike06]

I was just about to make that comment😂

[@johnwerth8167]

This made my day.

[@prettysaxy]

the clarinets in the fast part are so together it sounds like one player. the fingers are matching, absolutely incredible

[@noahrice1507]

People who compose euphonium countermelodies are the smartest people in the world....not that I'm a euphonium player or anything *cough I am cough*

[@padraicfanning7055]

What's your opinion on Gustav Holst?

[@lexxx9246]

I okay French Horn!

[@lexxx9246]

*play

[@stevenhugley4025]

So is Johan.

[@adrived]

For real bro.

[@NathanPralleVideos]

We played this in high school and it is still, 24 years later, one of my favorite pieces ever. So glorious and fun.

[@46jkm]

Me too , murdered the timpani part

[@famupiccolo92]

Me too! Flute! 30 years ago!

[@PonderousProse]

Same, bassoon!

[@jamesroberts3642]

Me too... Trumpet. Fist chair. Solo. Braces taken out a month later so a new and awesome playing freshman ended up getting the trumpet solo. I lost it and all my "status" cause it took me many months to get used to NOT playing without braces.

[@tubafix6946]

@@46jkm The timp is so damned key to this song; way to hammer it out of the park.

[@braydencampbell6186]

I just played this symphony last semester in my college's wind ensemble. I will never get over how incredible this piece of music is.

[@blobberooni]

I'm glad James May found some work during the grand tour offseason!

[@bambino100011]

Ahhhh, hearing the trombone section, especially bass trombone pleases my ears =)

[@ziv_tendoora]

bambino100011 I hear some octaving going on as the 3rd and 4th trombone are unisono for most of the time.😉💪

[@amyparra1881]

The clarinets... especially the 3rd! The rolling stamina is fucking awesome

[@juanmanuelgarciasinisterra1133]

It's logical, Johan de Meij plays bass trombon

[@remyazharyyosef1811]

I must say that this captured the essence of Gandalf and The Lord of the Rings as a whole. I could virtually "see" Middle-earth when I close my eyes listening to this score. And not to discredit Howard Shore either, but de Meij's score felt more 'earthy' and 'organic' as Eru Illuvatar's vision intended it to be and the Valar's creations. Another thing is that I used to play "Gandalf" back in school. It was a tough piece. The timpani and the mallets are not easy as side-reads. And by the way, being a percussionist, I must say that I am biased about the section. I'd really want to see more percussion.

[@elevenvideola]

*sight read

[@tubafix6946]

I was somewhat hoping that Howard would have done a musical cameo to de Meij in his score, just because I consider it to be so damned iconic and perfect.

[@blairajo]

Loving the clarinets in this. Bringing me back to wind ensemble. Can't wait to show my young daughter.

[@lexxx9246]

I play the french horn. This is so beautiful and they did an amazing job

[@euph5348]

These symphonies started my journey in music

[@famupiccolo92]

I love this piece. I played it as a member of Tri-State Honor Band at FSU as a Junior in High school. Played the first flute part along with my fellow flautists. I believe I was chair 12! 😂😂😂

[@anjalialaniz]

so extremely well articulated.....stacattos are staccato, legatos are legato, and the tone and dynamics are oh so beautiful!!!!

[@briansadler5225]

George R. R. Martin sitting in the front row of the audience getting ideas

[@gkvaderwolf06]

I'm so glad to find a live performance of this! My high school band played Mvt. 1 & 5 at a spring concert about the time the movies were still in theaters, and I haven't heard of anyone performing it since. I listen to my CD of it quite often though.

[@cecmousecoolguy]

me personally, i love the bass line in that brass chorale. gives me chills every time

[@malty16]

What magical music and such a tasteful performance. I'm so happy that we have this to listen to when we need a fix!

[@bambino100011]

So beautifully played, I wish I was there in concert.

[@jslasher1]

I have incorporated the euphonium in a couple of my works, more as a tribute to Daniele Amfitheatrof, who favoured the instrument in his concert works and film scores.

[@jasonbronke8390]

I've gotten to play this twice, once at an honors festival in high school and again my last year in college. Always loved the euphonium part!

[@masonh.6477]

I got to play this last year at a band camp I go to, an awesome piece, really beautiful. I played xylophone and bells.

[@amyparra1881]

Exciting and compelling. This chapter is one of the best versions I've ever heard.

[@Tamberlaine02]

I played the extended piece years ago for school and I remember everyone having such a great time. Every instrument had a fun unique part

[@bambino100011]

Anyone else noticed Father Time or Gandalf sitting in the front row?? =) lol

[@NathanPralleVideos]

Asleep? :)

[@Dorgannn]

@@NathanPralleVideos enjoying the moment! i might have closed my eyes at that part as well

[@ninjanyan1579]

he looks like gandalf, but much larger and sadder.

[@johnnorton2287]

Trust me; he is not sleeping. He comes to almost every concert (or used to), and sits right in the center of the front row if he can. I don't know his name, but he is a great fan of the Marine Band. (I retired from the Band in 2014)

[@luisfranciscosoto7909]

Is Tom Bombadil

[@benhummel5723]

I’m so excited that I get to play this on bass trombone this weekend for All-district band!

[@coloraturaElise]

How did it go?

[@Raymond_Churchill]

As a junior in high school, I am playing this on bass trombone, too! Truly one of the best instrument parts in the piece, and for once that's not even biased.

[@fyazon7463]

Everyone else: listening to the music and becoming enraptured by the Marine Band's top of the line tone Me: *Guy in the front row at **3:27*

[@brennanmckinney3688]

My favorite part is Santa clause falling asleep in the front row of the audience

[@bdfan4ever]

Poway HS 1992 field show is when I first heard this.

[@sethwexler6910]

The best band in the land.

[@kevbieri]

This is a killer version of this song... Maybe the best I've heard. Go Marines

[@DevilOPlaysTuba]

freaking love the contrabassoon, I performed this for all district

[@196cupcake]

One year, my HS marching band's show was an adaption of these.

[@TheFreddyEduard]

Emily Bear: Original Film Scoring Suite (age 16) (Warner Bros) kzbin.info/www/bejne/aGfMnXiml7WUndU

[@ambientocean9021]

Clarinets putting in major work at 2:40

[@axezak2093]

I'm playing this in my high school band right now, wish me luck ‼️

[@majkus]

Oddly, today while watching someone's reaction to an Ohio State marching band half-time show on the 'Hollywood blockbuster' theme, I was delighted that the Lord of the Rings section of the performance included a brief but recognizable quote of the opening fanfare from this symphony amid the Howard Shore music. Since I have often thought over the last 30 years that this band symphony could form the basis of the best half-time show ever, I felt vindicated.

[@hudsoncampos2201]

👏🏽👏🏽👏🏽👏🏽👏🏽👏🏽 Bravi tutti

[@SiNELLz]

🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥

[@simsonthomas5304]

I actually though the conductor was James May. LOL!

[@toAdmiller]

This is an amazing piece of music, and we're playing it in our community band and it's so gorgeous and rich...but since I've been influenced by Howard Shore's soundtrack to the movies, it is just a very different direction to come from for the same subject (Gandalf)...not better, not worse...just different...and Vive la difference...!

[@Raymond_Churchill]

As a bass trombonist, it feels illegal to have the melody a few times in this piece. And that low ending, though 🤯

[@frogg002]

I played this in grade 10 in 2019.

[@3mo2007]

Trombone 2 timestamps 0:24 0:45 24- 1:45 36. 2:25 55. 2:47 73 3:15? 83. 😊3:33 101. 3:47

[@naufalmuhammadalif-siths]

I want to play the timpani part! Seems intersting.

[@ethangawron1939]

It’s a blast! Kinda repetitive, but very fun

[@Raheemfll]

Bass Clarinet player here!!!!!

[@ericmagouirk7949]

I would put these guys up against any symphony in the world. I saw them once. It was like a clear wall of sound.

[@JoefromNJ1]

i wonder if howard shore has ever heard this

[@cyclemadness]

I play this music while playing the board game War of the Ring.

[@justinweisberg1634]

2:20 2:30 (horn entrance) (counting!!)

[@Nick-tc9ps]

0:24 1:45 3:58

[@thedarktruth132]

Why are there cellos

[@JohnnyAngel8]

Why are there cellos and basses in this supposed concert band but no violins and violas? Is it a band or orchestra?

[@mosley2k]

It's Johan's piece, and he does what he pleases. Virtually every advanced concert band work includes string bass, and a small handful even include cello.

[@JohnnyAngel8]

@@mosley2k Thank you for responding.

[@jeremiahsalyer7784]

I hear some Peter grimes and Vaughan Williams influence.

[@worldof2ndfluteclarinet353]

I wonder how the english horn would sound next to the Saxophones

[@masahirokawagi4817]

作曲者本人指揮?ですか？

[@naufalmuhammadalif-siths]

I think so. Johan de Meij is the writer of this piece.

[@Raheemfll]

I’m about to buss.

[@asianman3204]

ayo

[@Raheemfll]

@@asianman3204 this song is amazing. That’s why lol

[@VdiGhoul]

bruh this has me sleeping

[@cthulhutentacles4994]

WAIT A MINUTE, I see cellos!!?? How, is this in a wind ensemble????

[@quanhoangclarinettist6225]

Cellos blend really well with middle-low brass parts, in this case Euphoniums, and they add a very good color and tone quality to the band. Therefore this is becoming a normal thing nowadays in Symphonic Bands.

[@quanhoangclarinettist6225]

Nestor Pelayo what you're saying is right, which is actually very fascinating because Johan deMeij originally didn't score for the cello in this particular piece. And yet they sound amazing especially in this 1st movement, I guess Johan somehow decided to experience with it and he got it right hahaha. Another band I know, Amsterdam Winds, also did the same I think.

[@remyazharyyosef1811]

Even though the original symphony was written for winds and percussion (of course with string bass) but there was also a full-fledged orchestral arrangement complete with the string section as well. It was pretty good. Almost as good a replacement for the Howard Shore's score for the trilogy.

[@BretNewtonComposer]

@@quanhoangclarinettist6225 I've talked with Johan directly about this. He added the Celli after several performances in Spain where they are used as part of the standard wind band instrumentation. He now uses Celli as a de facto part of his symphonic ensembles and won't do performances of this piece without them if at all possible.

[@quanhoangclarinettist6225]

@@BretNewtonComposer thanks for the information, that is very interesting to know! Do you know if we can actually order this additional Cello part from de Meij?

[@peterkiley1877]

Guy in front row: ZZZZZZZZZZ

[@jacksonhunter2621]

Why cant I find a single recording without cellos?

[@stevenbehnke4751]

Because he wrote it with cellos lol...

[@padraicfanning7055]

Essentially, Johan de Meij can't live without them. (See Bret Newton's reply for a bit of clarification on that: kzbin.info/www/bejne/b36kl2aBZbiMnNU&lc=Ugwaj_nY0r8jmf0pmxx4AaABAg.8kaqnimpfdZ8rEG_Z5duuv )

[@archiestanton2767]

This latest version of the Marine Band looks larger in membership than previous videos I've seen of the band. Apparently, the military budget was increased under our current administration.

[@Dylan-zf4xh]

0:34 What in the hell is that in the background

[@christophermudd3723]

Fine use of my tax money!!!

[@Zote.]

Hehe 69 comments

[@Selim2591]

Howard shore trilogy is better

[@haraldisdead]

Can we at least cut the arts and crafts part of military spending? We pay more for Healthcare than any other country and have the worst results.

[@3mo2007]

The ugliest outfits I feel so bad