Anterra - MVSR2358 | Musica

"Anterra" by Pavel Stanék was especially commissioned as a “one-hour-test-piece” (this means that bands participating in a contest are allowed one hour to rehearse such music, and then they have to render a competitive performance against all other participants in their grade). Consequently this overture is subject to more rigid guidelines in order to meet the evaluation criteria at band competitions. Therefore duration, difficulty, dynamics, intonation, articulation, precision, overall impression, etc. are of great importance.

It is a three-part work, the first section of which is based on a basso ostinato. After eight measures another theme in the brilliant brass comes in. It gains in dramatic impact by the entry of the bass instruments with timpani and bass drum. As a contrast, a tender theme of the Flugelhorn and woodwinds is introduced. The rhythmic accompaniment rests with the snare drum and congos. The theme shows up again in the brass with strong accents in the basses, timpani and bass drum. There is the transition to the variation of the second theme which later is repeated one last time in the brasses with dramatic basses, and then it modulates to the slow central section cantabile espressivo.
This quiet tune (mostly conducted on two) develops to a minor and later to a major apogee before it slowly ends in piano in a small coda. The third section features a shortened repetition of the first part. New elements are a rhythmic enrichment of the second theme with animated basses. Finally there is an increase crescendo e accelerando to the coda. The overture ends pesante in fortissimo.