Who Would Imagine a King?

The Odyssee tells the story of Odysseus the undaunted hero. In times long ago the blind poet Homer wrote this famous epic. The 'Odyssey' follows the 'Iliad' the story of the bloody war between the Greek and the Trojans. This battle endsafter ten years thanks to the Odysseys famous trick. the Trojan Horse. The Odyssey is not a war epic but a story about perseverance loyalty adventure and the survival instinct of its ingenious hero. In The Odyssey Homer describes howOdysseus the king of Ithaca had to endure another ten years of affliction after the ten years of war in Troy before he could finally return to his home land. During those years his wife Penelope had to try and keep her many admirers away.These men not only wanted het hand but also the kingship. To prove her husbands worth she played a trick: 'As soon as I have finished weaving this shroud for my father-in-law Laertes I will choose one of you to become my husband' she promisedthem. But during the night she secretly loosened what she had woven during the day prolonging the time until Odysseus would finally return. After twenty long years when he finally stood at the door she wondered: Is this really my husband? Ishe an imposter? Cunningly she asked him to move the bed because only she and her husband know that the bed was immovable and was build around an old three trunk! Odysseus was deeply moved: this really was his wife his Penelope! Nearly threethousands years later the loyalty and strength of this character and all the dangerous adventures that Odysseus survived thanks to courage and intelligence still moves us today. Odyssee by Jan Bosveld is not just an adventure story butrather a characteristic piece in which memories of Homers story can be heard. The composition opens with a firm stirring theme describing our hero Odysseus in detail: This man is not to be taken lightly. The further development of thisshort introduction completes this character sketch: trustworthy perseverant and a genius. After that we can picture Odysseus on the lonely beach of Ogygia. Do the trumpets depict his memories of the war of Troy? Does he think of his wife as werecognise the weaving loom of Penelope in the murmuring eighth? In the solemn plaintive part that follows we can imagine Penelope feeling lonely sitting in the womens room with her servants.One of the girls plays the harp but that does notclear the sombre atmosphere. Then we can imagine seeing the sorceress Circe who changed Odysseus men into swine. After she gives a simple magic sign something follows that reminds us of the sound of pigs grunting. Then the Odysseus theme resounds:the hero comes to savi his comrades. Assisted by Hermes he forces Circe to lift the spell. The piece ends the same way as it began with an animated theme: Odysseus is still the same undefeated and not to be taken lighty!

The Odyssee tells the story of Odysseus the undaunted hero. In times long ago the blind poet Homer wrote this famous epic. The 'Odyssey' follows the 'Iliad' the story of the bloody war between the Greek and the Trojans. This battle endsafter ten years thanks to the Odysseys famous trick. the Trojan Horse. The Odyssey is not a war epic but a story about perseverance loyalty adventure and the survival instinct of its ingenious hero. In The Odyssey Homer describes howOdysseus the king of Ithaca had to endure another ten years of affliction after the ten years of war in Troy before he could finally return to his home land. During those years his wife Penelope had to try and keep her many admirers away.These men not only wanted het hand but also the kingship. To prove her husbands worth she played a trick: 'As soon as I have finished weaving this shroud for my father-in-law Laertes I will choose one of you to become my husband' she promisedthem. But during the night she secretly loosened what she had woven during the day prolonging the time until Odysseus would finally return. After twenty long years when he finally stood at the door she wondered: Is this really my husband? Ishe an imposter? Cunningly she asked him to move the bed because only she and her husband know that the bed was immovable and was build around an old three trunk! Odysseus was deeply moved: this really was his wife his Penelope! Nearly threethousands years later the loyalty and strength of this character and all the dangerous adventures that Odysseus survived thanks to courage and intelligence still moves us today. Odyssee by Jan Bosveld is not just an adventure story butrather a characteristic piece in which memories of Homers story can be heard. The composition opens with a firm stirring theme describing our hero Odysseus in detail: This man is not to be taken lightly. The further development of thisshort introduction completes this character sketch: trustworthy perseverant and a genius. After that we can picture Odysseus on the lonely beach of Ogygia. Do the trumpets depict his memories of the war of Troy? Does he think of his wife as werecognise the weaving loom of Penelope in the murmuring eighth? In the solemn plaintive part that follows we can imagine Penelope feeling lonely sitting in the womens room with her servants.One of the girls plays the harp but that does notclear the sombre atmosphere. Then we can imagine seeing the sorceress Circe who changed Odysseus men into swine. After she gives a simple magic sign something follows that reminds us of the sound of pigs grunting. Then the Odysseus theme resounds:the hero comes to savi his comrades. Assisted by Hermes he forces Circe to lift the spell. The piece ends the same way as it began with an animated theme: Odysseus is still the same undefeated and not to be taken lighty!

The Gallipoli Campaign took place between April 1915 and January 1916 and marked the first significant military engagement for Australia as an independent dominion. The Gallipoli Songbook commemorates this crucial event of the Great War with a collection of contemporary songs relating to the soldiers, the public at home, and the sheer poignancy of such a tragic event, all arranged for Piano, Vocal and Guitar.The diversity of songs included in this Gallipoli Songbook is testament to the spirit of optimism, consolation and humour inherent in the collective consciousness at the time of such great anxiety and fear. This is a wonderful compilation of contemporary tunes that were popular both before the War, during the various campaigns and after the War itself. Some songs included here sum up the optimistic and patriotic spirit in the years leading up to Gallipoli, such as Waltzing Matilda and God Save The King, while others like And The Band Played Waltzing Matilda, from after the event, look back on the horrors of the Anzac experience on those fateful days.Other tunes come from the wonderful British Music Hall tradition, using irony, sarcasm and humour to overcome the sadness associated with the Great War. Songs like Oh! It's A Lovely War, It's A Long Way To Tipperary and Along The Road To Gundagai were popular both at home and as marching tunes, conquering the petrifying realities of war with rousing music and song. The Gallipoli Songbook also includes wistful, sad and heartbreakingly poignant lyrics that capture the unavoidable sadness associated with the costs of total war, songs like I Wonder Who's Kissing Her Now, There's A Long, Long Trail and The Gift Of Years, all bittersweet reflections on love, loss and life's transience. Each song included here is a fantastic way to remember the victims of the Gallipoli campaign, and to understand the power that music has to allay, disguise and reflect upon fear and anxiety. The songs, arranged for Piano, Vocal and Guitar with full lyrics and chord boxes, are a fascinating insight into the period from before the War to after it, and their timelessness makes them as fun to play and sing now, as they were back then. The book also contains a smattering of brilliant images from the time, as well as an extensive foreword that explains, in detail, some of the songs and their meanings.The Gallipoli Songbook is an enjoyable, poignant and fascinating collection of tunes of, or relating to, the Great War and the Gallipoli campaign. Each song is beautiful in its own way, and would be perfect for a commemorative performance, or just an addition to your general repertoire. This songbook is perfect for a musician interested in history, or simply anyone who appreciates the golden age of emotive songs that meant more back then than we could ever imagine today. / Piano/Vocal/Guitare (PVG)

The second volume of a thousand and one all-time hit songs ranging from essential standards to the latest pop hits - a must for all singers and musicians. / Chant Et Guitare