The Three Nymphs (HA)

On the Campinaplein in Dessel there is an idyllic sculpture of three water nymphs in the canal. These water nymphs and the flowing water of the canal were the inspiration for the title and the first atmospheric part Nymphs of the Canal.

The second part, The “Keizers“, refers to the people who pulled the ships forward on horses. In the past, there were no inland vessels with engines. The ships had to be pulled along the side with tow ropes. This was done by men, women and children on farm horses. Colloquially they were called the “vesselers”. “Vaart” is Kempen for “canal” and “ketsers” refers to the ricocheting horseshoes on the towpath. All this is expressed in the second part.

With part three, The Dead Line, the tension builds up. A new and energetic theme breaks with the previous parts to introduce the new part. The title of this part refers to the English term for The 'Death Wire' from the First World War. This was a barbed wire fence that was under high voltage. Many who tried to break through this electrical barrier found their lives in the barbed wire. At the same time, The Dead Line also refers to its denotation of meeting a deadline. Everyone is confronted with deadlines. These bring a lot of tension. This fact forms the tension of the third part.

Finally, the fourth movement is a revival of the atmospheric main theme followed by a grand and dynamic finale.

Listening example

* Does your orchestra have Horns in Eb or Trumpets in C? Additional parts can be requested for free by sending an e-mail to score@ypress.eu. Make sure to mention the unique catalog number http://www.ypress.be/products/YDME2015001 and your order number.