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Galea et Bellum
The Unrevealed Story of Skelte van Aysma
Composed in 2017 for C.M.V. Excelsior Schraard (Friesland)
In the Frisian village of Schettens, a rare helmet was discovered in 2015. It had hung on the wall in the church for centuries. Research quickly revealed that it likely belonged to Skelte van Aysma, a Frisian officer who fought during the Eighty Years’ War in the armies of the Princes of Orange, Maurice and Frederick Henry. Van Aysma was buried in the choir of the church in Schettens after he fell as a colonel in 1637 during the siege of Breda. The helmet must have held a special place in his life, as it is depicted on his tombstone. To preserve this rare helmet for future generations, it was restored and is now part of the collection at the National Military Museum in Soest.
This piece of history served as the inspiration for this composition, as requested by the commissioning party. In the first part of the work, reference is made to the battle during the siege of Breda. Following this, Van Aysma is taken to his final resting place in the slow movement, set in the Frisian town of Schettens. In the solemn theme, the muted drum and signal-like motifs in the trumpet and trombone sections reflect the military character of this ceremonial journey. The final section captures daily life during Van Aysma’s time — on one hand, the harsh life on the Frisian countryside, and on the other, the religious life. The composer also included a lively village celebration in the work. As a leitmotif, the song “Ach wie flüchtig, ach wie nichtig ist der Menschen Leben” is used. This 17th-century melody by Michel Franck, set by Johann Sebastian Bach, appears initially in fragments but reaches full expression toward the end of the piece.
| Composer: | Jan de Haan |
| Instrumentation: | Concert band |
| Genre: | Concertwork |
| Level: | 5 |
| Duration: | 15:00 |
| Download score: | |
| Publisher: | De Haske Order this work |
