Johan de Meij

Pentagram (Fanfarenorchester)

Unlike the compositions Johan de Meij wrote for symphonic band (Symphony nr. 1 The Lord of the Rings, Loch Ness, Aquarium etc.) his first work for fanfare band has no programmatic title. The name Pentagram (five-pointed star) only relates to the structure of the piece, on the one hand because it consists of five movements, on the other hand because the main theme is built out of five notes. (But not a pentatonic scale, as the title might lead one to suspect.) The movements are thematically connected and merge into one another uninterruptedly, drawn in one line, like a pentagram. The five movements are: I Introduction II Capriccio III Song without words IV Alla Marcia V Finale Through the various ages the notion pentagram has had several meanings. The Pythagorean called it the 'Pentalpha', the Celtic priests 'Druids' foot'. Other designations are 'Seal of King Salomon' and 'Gobelin cross' during the Middle Ages. The main symbolic value of the pentagram is that of the 'calamity averting sign'. The devil and other evil spirits are seriously hindered in their activities by the pentagram. At least, that is what Goethe claims in his 'Faust', as Mephistopheles cannot cross the threshold while seeing a pentagram on a door. For the same reason gravestones are frequently provided with a pentagram.