for timpani & percussion solo, orchestra, choir and electronics
When composer Wim Henderickx suddenly passed away in December 2022, a number of almost-finished compositions lay on his worktable. His musical assistant, Diederik Glorieux - in consultation with Wim's family - had already made some of these scores ready to be performed. In 2023, for instance, the orchestral work REJOICE! (Hymn for New Times) premiered with the Belgian National Orchestra, and in September 2024 Glorieux conducted the world premiere of the musical theatre work INNER LIFE at DE SINGEL in Antwerp.
For Brussels Philharmonic and Gert François, Wim had been working for some time on a concept for a timpani concerto. After the two previous percussion concertos, RAGA I and GROOVE!, which Wim composed for his good friend Gert François and the Brussels Philharmonic, he wanted to do something completely different. The new concerto would express both tribal power and internalised poetry.
Talks soon continued in 2023 with Wim's widow Bea Steylaerts and with Diederik Glorieux. The latter set to work in close consultation with Gert François to complete the concerto, entirely in Wim's spirit. Diederik chose to compose a score from the sketches that offers the soloist maximum improvisational freedom. This in turn allows Gert François, from his longstanding friendship and collaboration with Wim Henderickx, to give a personal interpretation to the work and thus pay his own homage to Wim. It was decided to give electronics a central place - developed by Jorrit Tamminga, also a friend, colleague and collaborator of Wim - as well as a female choir, here performed by the Flemish Radio Choir.
The structure of the work partly follows the structure of a mass, with each part inspired by one of the natural elements water, earth, fire, air and ether, which are central to many of Wim's compositions. Between these parts, Diederik inserted meditative interludes inspired by Wim's work REVELATIONS and based on the Gregorian Mass ‘Lux et Origo’ or ‘Light and Origin’. This not only forms a musical link to DISAPPEARING IN LIGHT, a central work in Wim's oeuvre, but also reflects his philosophy. In these interludes, the daf and the tombak play a leading role. As a percussionist, Wim had a close relationship with and great affinity for these two Middle Eastern percussion instruments, which he often played in his own work.
TIMPANI CONCERTO (2022-2025)
(+/- 35')
for timpani & percussion solo, orchestra, choir and electronics
commissioned by Brussels Philharmonic
First performance on 15 March 2025 at Flagey in Brussels
by Gert François, timpani & percussion
Brussels Philharmonic under Giancarlo Guerrero
Jorrit Tamminga, electronics
Flemish Radio Choir