Jan van der Roost

Singapura Suite

Singapura Suite was commissioned by Singapore's Ministry of Education Extracurricular Activities Branch to serve as a compulsory piece for the 1999 Singapore Youth Festival. 'Singapura' is the original name of Singapore in Malay, the native language there. Because Singapore is one of the most important harbors in the world, this two-piece work opens with a seaman's dance. An authentic melody, Chan Mali Chan, is woven into the middle of this first part, whose ABA form becomes clear through the recapitulation of the seaman's dance in a somewhat altered form. Singapore is also a dynamic city-state alive with excitement, thus the second part begins with a fitting dance, a fast bourrée. As contrast there is a second authentic melody, Dayung Sampan, a more easygoing sailing song. This short but curious suite ends in high spirits with a recapitulation of the beginning.