Vic Nees had two reasons for writing this piece of music: firstly he wanted to please Yves Storms who asked him for a piece where the guitar would play a prominent role and secondly, he felt a need to enrich the youth choir repertoire with a significant work.

In either case it needed to be a fresh and lively composition. Nees therefore asked Mieke Martens to write a text which he could playfully fantasize with. For the finale he suggested that it should be based on a similar style to that of the beginning of the 4th act of Macbeth, the incantation where the witches are mixing their poisonous potions.

The work was completed in December 1981, and about that time, after searching and experimenting Nees developed a more sober style which he himself named “new simplicity.” This is especially evident in the vocal parts. At the same time, the guitar, being totally independent, shows the first signs of repetitive music. This leads to a captivating score utilizing alternating speeds throughout the movements, interrupted by an intermezzo for the guitar and ending in a vivacious finale.

Kamiel Cooremans
(translation: Lynne Gerrard & Goedroen Debroey)