The Lord of the Rings

25 years ago, in 1988, John de Meij presented his first composition - an entire symphony. Symphony No. 1 ‘The Lord of the Rings’ was released on CD by the Royal Military Band of the Netherlands conducted by Pierre Kuijpers, reaching worldwide recognition. In 1989, the composition - which employs various themes from Tolkien’s novel The Lord of the Rings - was awarded the prestigious American Sudler composition award. The complete symphony is composed for symphonic wind orchestra and is comprised of five parts with a duration of some 45 minutes altogether. Paul Lavender has arranged the highlights of the symphony in a simplified version that’s aimed at most concertbands.