Mozaik Niels Bijl, Hans-Erik Dijkstra, Maaike Bosscher, Rob Horsting

• Traditional: El Cant Dels ocells (Arr. for Saxophone & Piano):
• 1 Traditional: El Cant Dels ocells (Arr. for Saxophone & Piano) 02:39
• Franz Schubert (1797 - 1828): Sonata in A Minor for arpeggione & piano, D. 821:
• 2 Schubert: Sonata in A Minor for arpeggione & piano, D. 821: I. Allegro moderato (Arr. for Saxophone & Piano) 11:10
• 3 Schubert: Sonata in A Minor for arpeggione & piano, D. 821: II. Adagio (Arr. for Saxophone & Piano) 03:53
• 4 Schubert: Sonata in A Minor for arpeggione & piano, D. 821: III. Allegretto (Arr. for Saxophone & Piano) 09:22
• Alexander Scriabin (1872 - 1915): Preludes, Op. 16 No. 1:
• 5 Scriabin: Preludes, Op. 16 No. 1: I. Andante (Arr. for Saxophone & Piano) 02:15
• 6 Scriabin. Preludes, Op. 16 No. 1: II. Allegro (Arr. for Saxophone & Piano) 01:44
• 7 Scriabin: Preludes, Op. 16 No. 1: III. Andante Cantabile (Arr. for Saxophone & Piano) 01:41
• 8 Scriabin: Preludes, Op. 16 No. 1: IV. Lento (Arr. for Saxophone & Piano) 00:56
• 9 Scriabin: Preludes, Op. 16 No. 1: V. Allegretto (Arr. for Saxophone & Piano) 00:34
• Gabriel Fauré (1845 - 1924): Nocturne, Op. 74:
• 10 Nocturne, Op. 74 (Arr. for Saxophone & Piano) 02:23
• Folkert Buis (1911 - 1987): The Devil and the Deep Blue:
• 11 The Devil and the Deep Blue (Arr. for Saxophone & Piano) 07:42
• Kenny Kirkland (1955 - 1998): Dienda:
• 12 Dienda (Arr. for Saxophone & Piano) 07:51
• Paquito D'Rivera (b. 1948): Contradanza:
• 13 Contradanza (Arr. for Saxophone & Piano) 01:28
• Total Runtime 53:38

Info for Mozaik

On the album Mozaik, saxophone player Niels Bijl brings us Classical and Jazz compositions arranged for the Sax. He’s accompanied on the album by Hans-Erik Dijkstra (Piano), Maaike Bosscher (Harp) and Rob Horsting (Organ).

Since Guido of Arrezzo laid the basis for musical notation in the 11th Century, music aficionados have challenged each other with the question: Who is the best composer of all time? Although the answer is normally someone like Bach, Mozart or Schönberg, the composer Shane Fage has offered the most original answer: The writer Charles Dickens.

“Your first job is that of the story teller. Owing to the power of Dickens’ language, one could see the room, smell the stale cigar in the ashtray, feel the warmth of the fire, everything……. And that is why Dickens is the best composer I have ever heard.”

Telling stories as the basis for music. An art form from long before Guido of Arrezzo, and one that is effective in all genres. The story behind El Cant dels Ocells (Song of the Birds) is the birth of Christ, until the legendary cellist Pau Casals transformed it into the epitome of the Catalonian soul, “The birds in this piece sing “Peace, Peace, Peace!” And the music is a music that Bach and Beethoven and all the greats would have loved and admired. It is so beautiful, and it is also the soul of my country, Catalonia.” If you compare Schubert’s Adagio, Fauré’s Nocturne and the fourth Prelude of Scriabin with the ancient traditional Catalonian folksong, it is apparent that both Fage and Casals are right. For centuries the craftmanship of composers has been defined by the ability to base music on a simple but very effective melody.

Niels Bijl, tenor saxophone
Hans Erik Dijkstra, piano
Maaike Bosscher, harp
Rob Horsting, piano

Niels Bijl
For Niels, it’s all about musicality and integrity. Whether he’s playing Bach on the baritone, JacobTV on the alto, Baldwyn on the soprano or original pieces written for him on his beloved tenor saxophone, it’s all about bringing the music to life. Niels Bijl is an exceptionally versatile saxophonist. His major projects include CDs with repertoire for tenor saxophone, the Aurelia Saxophone Quartet, The Four Baritones and the Baritone Institute as well as his collaboration with Ronald Moelker and many other varied musicians from accordion to harp to string quartet.

Highlights of his career include his recent series of his AXES Ensemble concerts in the Netherlands, Germany and Australia. Also his tour of New Zealand in 2010 with pianist Diedre Irons (through Chamber Music NZ) and his international Solo Tenor Saxophone recitals with contemporary music written for him interwoven with Telemann Fantasies. Valeri Gergiev requested his participation with Sir Georg Solti’s World Orchestra for Peace (Prokofiev, Romeo and Juliet). The theatre production of Ik ben niet bang with René Groothof received the Silver Krekel Prize for Best Children’s Theatre Production in the Amsterdam Theatre Festival 2012. As part of his integrity he gives back to young musicians, in private sessions, masterclasses, ensemble coaching and regular invitations to conservatoriums from Manchester to Sydney. All these activities have given Niels the opportunity to give concerts and masterclasses almost everywhere in Europe as well as Japan, New Zealand, Australia, Brazil, Canada and America.

Booklet for Mozaik