Compositions and arrangements

“A Crazy Man” is a solo piece for trumpet and musically describes a cheerful person who is full of the joys of life. The melodies and harmonies are simple at first but are then changed and varied in a humorous way, which leads to smaller dissonances and refreshing rhythmic phrases. Both musicians and the audience will find themselves chuckling, as everyone knows such a typical “crazy man”.
Matthäus Crepaz dedicated this piece of music to his friend Jonas Pitscheider. He was a founding member and trumpet player of the Urtijëi Brass Quintett, in which Crepaz himself also played for many years.

This church song was composed on occasion of a competition of the ULVB (Uniun Ladins Val Badia) and is dedicated to Saint Lucy, who is the patron saint of the picturesque village Lungiarü (I). The aim was to create a new simple church song, which can be sung and played during liturgy by a mixed choir and quintet. The tune is quite simple, so the people in church can sing along without any problems. The Ladin lyrics were written by Tone Gasser.

“Adum Per Fé Mujiga” (Engl. Together to make music) is a piece that was commissioned by the church choir Ortisei/Val Gardena, in the composer’s home town. This fresh and youthful song was first performed in cooperation with students of the music school Val Gardena. This is why two versions of the same song are available. The first is instrumentalized for a smaller orchestra. The second version is more demanding and needs a bigger orchestra. The Ladin lyrics were written by the composer himself.

“Adum Per Fé Mujiga” (Engl. Together to make music) is a piece that was commissioned by the church choir Ortisei/Val Gardena, in the composer’s home town. This fresh and youthful song was first performed in cooperation with students of the music school Val Gardena. This is why two versions of the same song are available. The first is instrumentalized for a smaller orchestra. The second version is more demanding and needs a bigger orchestra. The Ladin lyrics were written by the composer himself.

“Adum Per For” (Engl. Together forever) is a modern hymnlike song, an appeal to mankind to be more united, a declaration of war – against war, oppression and violence. The Ladin lyrics were written by the composer himself.

This short fanfare was composed for the inauguration of the new rehearsal room of the music band Castelrotto (I).

This musical work for symphony orchestra describes important events in the history of the village Castelrotto.
The first movement is titled “Die alte Burg auf dem Kofel” (Engl. The old castle on the hill). The piece starts off with fragments of the “Castelrotto theme”. Mysterious sounds remind us of the old castle, which must have been situated on the hill (Schlossberg) over 2,000 years ago. The whole first movement is about the memory of an awe-inspiring castle, which was the foundation-stone of today’s Castelrotto.
In the second movement “Buntes Treiben im mittelalterlichen Dorf“ (Engl. Hustle and bustle in the medieval village) we can hear life, music, dance and a festive atmosphere in the medieval town. This movement is characterized by verve, joy and a festive mood.
“Hexenprozesse” (Engl. Witch trials) is the title of the third movement. Unfortunately, witch trials and the burning of witches are also part of the history of the town Castelrotto. With the support of the church, innocent women were convicted and burnt at the stake. The ostinato of the timpani stands for the hopeless trial of the accused; the female voices beg for mercy while the trombones represent the merciless voices from the court. It all ends in a shady redemption at the stake: major and minor sounds mingle and at the same time, a church bell resounds.
In the fourth movement, a special noble family is acknowledged: “Familie Kraus von Sala” was a family of benefactors, judges and patrons of culture. Today’s town hall, the Krausegg residence, once belonged to this noble family that originally came from Hungary.
In 1753 a devastating fire erupted. A considerable part of the village was destroyed, the church with its steeple was damaged and even the church bells melted in the fire. This tragic incident is musically described in the fifth movement “Der große Brand” (Engl. The big fire).
In the sixth and last movement “Kastelruth” (German for Castelrotto) we can clearly hear the villagers’ grief over the destroyed village. The “Castelrotto theme”, which can be heard in every movement, at times explicitly and at others in a more hidden way, turns here into a melancholy minor-key version, before the band starts singing the “Castelrotto theme” as a sort of hymn with the following lyrics:

„Auf dem Kofel eine Burg da stand (There was a castle on the hill)
Das ganze Dorf einst niederbrandt` (The whole village once burnt down)
Und aus der feuerroten Glut (And from the scarlet embers)
Entstand Kastelruth.“ (Castelrotto was born.)

„Die Krausen waren noble Leut` (The Kraus family were noble people)
Die Hexentaten sind bereut (There is regret about the witch hunts)
Die Glocken schallen frohgemut (The bells chime merrily)
Aus dem Turm in Kastelruth.“ (From the steeple in Castelrotto.)

After a peal of bells in the notes A flat, c, e flat, a flat, b flat and c1, exactly like the peal of bells of the parish church, the “Castelrotto theme” is raised from the ashes and brought to a majestic and glorious climax. The work ends triumphantly, suitable for a village with such a fascinating history.

This spirited march was dedicated to the music band Castelrotto (Musikkapelle Kastelruth) (I). It consists of a “fresh” first strain, a strong, forceful second strain (counter-melody) and a solemn trio, which is supposed to express the proud personality of the Castelrotto musicians. A short middle section in the trio reminds about the medieval village Castelrotto, before the main theme leads to a flamboyant conclusion.

The composition “centum triginta” is a work commissioned by the bank Raiffeisenkasse Kastelruth-St. Ulrich. The title “centum triginta” (a hundred and thirty) refers to the 130th anniversary of the bank.
The composition describes some interesting personalities and events in its six movements.
At the very beginning, we can already hear the main theme of the whole composition: a noble melody, which musically interprets the spirit and “the honorable idea of Friedrich Wilhelm Raiffeisen”.
In the second movement, “the industry is faced with the Raiffeisen idea”. At the time around 1850, large factories, industries and capitalism ruled the economy. The moral unscrupulousness is imitated with musical industry noises, until out of nowhere, the “Raiffeisen melody” can be heard. It makes its way like a thin blade of grass through the pavement.
A solemn fanfare describes “the foundation of the Raiffeisenkasse Kastelruth in the year 1890”. The “Raiffeisen theme” is introduced by the brass in a slightly modified version, is then taken over by the woodwinds, and finally ends with fierce determination.
After this, a special woman is interpreted through the music: “Johanna Rabanser, the pearl of the bank”, that’s how she was called. She was a woman with a certain aura, who was very much appreciated by the male-dominated society of the time. This calm movement, which is dominated by a flute solo, wants to highlight this.
“The years of the war” comes next, pointing at a gloomy period in history. People are convicted, deported and lose their life. The bank also goes through difficult times. Musically, percussion ostinati, dark, threatening as well as sharp notes, and dissonances are used. The “Raiffeisen melody” can be heard in a tragic minor-key version.
In the finale “The bank Raiffeisen Kastelruth-St. Ulrich”, after a flourishing musical build-up, the “Raiffeisen theme” is finally played in its fullest splendor.
The composition is on the one hand a musical congratulation on the 130th anniversary of the Raiffeisen bank, on the other hand it wants to commemorate Friedrich Wilhelm Raiffeisen, an honorable man, who helped society’s weak members in a special way.

This fanfare was dedicated to Gerhard Prossliner, a great and passionate voluntary chairman of the music band Castelrotto (“Musikkapelle Kastelruth”) for his 20th anniversary. The main theme can already be found in the title “CHEF FANFARE”: in fact, the motive consists of the notes C B (in German: H) E F F A F A E.

A samba full of joie de vivre, with its stereotypical harmonies and rhythms. An homage to Ari Barroso and his “Aquarela do Brasil”. The piece was originally composed for brass quintet and later transcribed for orchestra.

A samba full of joie de vivre, with its stereotypical harmonies and rhythms. An homage to Ari Barroso and his “Aquarela do Brasil”. The piece was originally composed for brass quintet and later transcribed for orchestra.

This ambitious and extravagant work was composed for the inauguration of Wilhelm Senoner’s exhibition “Controtempo”.
The piece begins with switch blows, which are meant to symbolize the metaphorical self-flagellation of the artist, who is driven by his instinct to create something new. We then hear fragments of themes and motives, a sort of collection of ideas that gradually assume shape. The artist starts to work more deliberately and intensively on his project. This part is symbolized by somewhat clearer melodic lines and harmonies. Then comes the point when the artist becomes a craftsman and puts his plan into action, he sets himself to work with power and determination. Here the music becomes clear, structured, repetitive and intense. Towards the end, it becomes more tranquil – it gets lighter and lighter, even liberating. The artist brings his work to an end and lets it go, like a parent with their adult child. A bittersweet feeling with a deep satisfaction comes of it: it’s the basis for a new creation.
At the première, the quartet “Ucajion” performed alongside dancer Anastasia Kostner. Hereby, music, dancing and sculpture melted into a touching synthesis of the arts.

“Defending the homeland” is a musical representation of the forest battle of Mutters (A) on 29th May 1809.
350 Castelrotto riflemen (German: “Kastelruther Schützen”), together with around 65 Kaiserjäger attacked a Bavarian unit of more than 1,000 men and were able to force them back.
At the beginning, the work describes the oath which every soldier had to take. The composer makes use of the melody “Auf zum Schwur” (Austrian folk song, meaning “off to the oath”); this song was first written in 1896 with Josef Seeber’s lyrics and Ignaz Mitterer’s music. It shows the spirit of today’s riflemen, and at the same time it points at the conviction that led the men in 1809 to defend their homeland from foreign dangers and even to proudly take an oath, for God and the Empire, to fight “until their death”. Full of confidence and fighting spirit, the company marches with the playing of fifes and drums, which were typical at the time.
The battle field comes closer, the enemy can already be heard in the distance. The Bavarians, who symbolized the evil in the eyes of the Castelrotto riflemen, are musically represented as “foreign” (i.e. in a different key). The two enemy troops are getting closer and closer, leading up to the attack. Now the harmonious sounds are over. The cruelties and horrors of the war overwhelm the proud men. What dreadful images had to be endured? The music tries to convey them. Thus, it becomes always darker with dissonances.
The cruelties only end when one side surrenders. In this case the victory goes to the Castelrotto riflemen: majestic sounds tell of the homecoming of the surviving proud soldiers.
On the other side there are the losers: the Bavarians had started the battle as proudly as our men, they had also taken their oaths and committed themselves to courage and loyalty. The enemy isn’t the evil, no, the enemy is made up of young men, husbands, fathers and grandfathers, who are left behind on the battlefield. They leave families in pain and despair. Dramatic sounding notes and a darkening of the harmonies (minor key and dissonances) finally make clear what’s really at stake in a war.
The central statement of the composition: A war only knows losers. Both sides are scarred by terror and pain. Nevertheless, we need to be grateful to those who gave up their life in good faith in the past. But then again, this sacrifice should make us aware of the value of peace and encourage us to work hard to live together peacefully.

“In a royal castle a jester appears. With noble gestures he greets the guests and makes an elegant bow. The hustle and bustle begins: he mocks, teases and jumps to and fro. With strong stamping of his feet, he creates a rhythm together with the audience before showing off his acrobatic tricks. The hustle and bustle becomes wilder and crazier. It runs out of control and the court hall is properly wrecked. The jester flees, and the court company is left behind, stark and stiff, not understanding what has just happened. The jester comes back for a short moment and bows.”
This short story is at the heart of the piece “The court jester”, which is conceived for a youth band and a possible representation of the court jester.

When the Castelrotto band makes a performance, they always give their best to look smart and energized. It’s their inherent pride and the joy to play that make them thrive at every single performance. For Matthäus Crepaz’s 10th anniversary as their conductor, he himself composed this march, which is indeed supposed to express the above-mentioned characteristics through its music.

A calm, reflective and meditative clarinet duet that was composed for the event “Advent unterm Schlern” (Advent under the Sciliar mountain).

This funeral march consists of two sections/strains. In the first strain, the suffering, dying person is described, with a drama-laden, sad melody that is played by a solo-trumpet at the very beginning. Partly dissonant notes and stumbling percussion rhythms let us feel the unbearable pain.
The second strain begins with an abrupt change: the comforting melody “goes upwards”, the rhythm flows, the harmonies have a relaxing effect. After a solemn climax, the music calms down and ends with three last “breaths”. Finally, redemption comes.

Matthäus Crepaz wrote his first complete composition for the “Urtijëi Brass Quintet”, which he was a member of as a trombonist for many years.
The fanfare begins with a solemn theme, played by the hornist. This slightly varied theme runs through the whole piece of music. Instrumentation and key change all the time. The fanfare ends with a C-major climax.
In this brass fanfare no instrument misses out, as melody and accompaniment are fairly shared. Special effects are the chromatic scales in the horn part, the tone color when the blaring trombone and the tuba play in unison, and the clear sound of the trumpets.
This piece is suitable for a concert opening as well as solemn occasions in general.

This simple short air was composed for the event “Advent unterm Schlern” (Advent under the Sciliar mountain).

“Home” can be related to different emotions for everyone. For some, home means a secure place, surrounded by a caring family. Others think of their hometown, of familiar people, places, traditions and customs, and the pleasant feeling connected with them. All these emotions were put together in this piece by Matthäus Crepaz. It can be played in different instrumentations.

A melancholy piece of music for four trombones

A short modern Advent tune for four trombones

A tune for Christmas time with a modern touch, for four trombones

What brought this composition about were the dramatic events of the flow of refugees in 2016. “Harmony” is the musical attempt to connect different cultures. Matthäus Crepaz looked for similar harmonic structures in well-known folk tunes from Tyrol and African countries, and he came up with the following airs: “In die Berg bin I gern” (Tyrolean German for: I love being in the mountains) (traditional), “Tirol isch lei oans” (Tyrolean German for: There is only one Tyrol) (music: Vinzenz Goller, lyrics: Sebastian Rieger) and “Shosholoza” (music and lyrics: Todd Matshikiza). These folk tunes form the breeding grounds for the composition. The melodies are not only played one by one, but are intertwined as well.
The composer had the strong desire to include a dramatic moment in this work, in order to musically discuss the tragedy of the refugees in the Mediterranean Sea. It’s an homage to the huge numbers of people who left the hardships in their homeland and, trusting in a better future, set out on a dangerous, often deadly journey.
The climax in the end symbolizes a handshake of two nations, whose different cultures actually share quite some similarities. Musically, this happens through the overlapping of the songs “Tirol isch lei oans” and “Shosholoza”. “Harmony”, at least in a musical sense, is the outcome.
This has been one of the most successful compositions by Matthäus Crepaz so far. At the première with the Musikkapelle Kastelruth (Castelrotto band) and the choirs of the Sciliar area (about 200 singers), the 1,500 people present gave the piece a standing ovation.

The “Hoader Marsch” was commissioned by the band “Musikkapelle St. Valentin an der Haide” (I) for their 125th anniversary. The march has a traditional tone, but it nevertheless contains some original passages with a modern touch.

Matthäus Crepaz dedicated this humorous polka to his friend Hugo Prossliner, a hornist from Castelrotto, who at every band rehearsal comes up with a witty remark. Matthäus Crepaz got to know him as a proud man, tough on the outside, but soft on the inside. These characteristics can also be found in this polka. The piece starts with a sound eruption and continues right away with a cheerful melody that contains many humorous passages. Then comes a melodic middle part, before the first section resounds one more time. The trio section begins with typical horn motives, which make room for a warm, soft melody. A marked middle section then leads to the final climax of the polka.

“Imprescions d’autonn” is a melodic and melancholy waltz.
It mainly consists of two waltz melodies, which continuously grow richer through tone color changes and a lot of middle motives. One could also define this waltz as a tone painting, symphonic poem. The work was played for the first time in the “Kurhaus Meran” (I) by the Sonoton Gherdëina orchestra together with the orchestra of the Musikfreunde Meran, exactly on the composer’s 31st birthday and under his direction.

“L jol” is a composition that was commissioned by the “Musikverein (music band) St. Ulrich” and it describes a paragliding flight. The music follows an exact program: “Der Traum vom Fliegen“ (Dreaming of flying); “Erwachen“ (Awakening); “Der Aufstieg am Berg“ (Climbing the mountain); “Die Mühen des Aufstiegs“ (The efforts of the ascent); “Am Gipfel“ (On the summit); “Das Warten auf den richtigen Wind“ (Waiting for the right wind); “Anlauf“ (The launch); “Schirmöffnung“ (Opening the paraglide); “Abflug“ (Take-off); “Schwerelosigkeit“ (Weightlessness); “Der Flug“ (The flight); “Wieder Richtung Erde“ (Towards Earth again); “Landung“ (Landing); “Entspannung“ (Relaxation); “Erhabenheit“ (Grandeur); “Ausklang“ (Conclusion).
Catchy tunes, chromatic scales and rhythmical entanglements pose real challenges for the musicians. An adventure for audience and musicians alike.

“L lën dla pesc” could be defined as a symphonic-choral poem. In his lyrics, Ivan Senoner describes the circumstances in our society and the wishes of us people. The main massage is that every one of us has a fertile soil inside, where the peace tree can grow if it is watered and cared for. Matthäus Crepaz wrote the music to it, with a main theme and some secondary motives. These are enriched and developed with musical effects and decorations. There are three verses and a recurring refrain. The last section of the composition is built gradually, and finally grows to a majestic finale, a symbol of a big tree.
The première was in August 2013. The Sonoton Gherdëina orchestra and all choirs from Val Gardena, under the direction of the composer himself, performed this piece.

Tango is one of the composer’s passions. This fascination lies in the symbiosis of dance and music, the paradox between strictness and exuberance, the tension between rhythm and melody. This tango can be classified as a Spanish tango with its typical rhythmical structures. The essence of the tango can clearly be detected and the listener is well and truly dragged into this passionate world.

“Legianu” is the historical name of the village “Lajen” (I) in South Tyrol. When the music band Lajen celebrated their 190th anniversary, a new pavilion was inaugurated and the local council commissioned a composition. Matthäus Crepaz took up the latter challenge and wrote a modern instrumental hymn. It consists of two main melodies, which are played one after the other before finally melting together. An elegant and ceremonial piece of music.

The fantasia “Melancolia” is a solo for harp and orchestra. The composer was inspired by the feeling of melancholy and thus tried to capture it in notes, melodies, harmonies and tone colors. The work consists of a number of recurring motifs and melodies, which keep changing and varying. The music erupts again and again, before calming down both dynamically and tonally. It’s an impressionist tone painting that tells us the story of the feeling of melancholy.

This short duet for violin and harp is an homage to the clown “Pierrot”. With the help of a simple melody and a minor harmony, the music describes the naïve, melancholy and pitiful French character clown.

“Quo vadis?” “Where are you going?” The title says it all.

The “Raikastu” march is a work commissioned by the bank Raiffeisenkasse Kastelruth-St. Ulrich for its 130th anniversary. By putting together the first letters of the words “Raiffeisenkasse”, “Kastelruth” and “St. Ulrich”, something like the fantasy word “RAIKASTU” is the result.
This march follows the classical three-strain structure. While the first strain is quite cheerful and festive, the second strain is somewhat more pathetic and dramatic. The trio is more relaxed with a rising melody sequence. The latter is brightened up by a short middle part before ending with a majestic “grandioso”.

“The wrong king” is a satirical and humorous Charleston style piece. It’s taken from the musical “Rundenì de lijëndes” (Ladin for: Echoing legends), which the composer wrote in 2015. This work begins with a festive fanfare that introduces the king. After this comes the lively Charleston. Muffled trumpet sounds, xylophone passages and quotes from typical circus melodies (e.g. “Entrance of the Gladiators”) characterize the first section, which describes the “wrong side” of a sovereign. In the second part, the king’s superficial casualness is represented through singing and a lively tune. The music stands for the pomp and sheer greed for wealth and power, which are represented in a humorous and opulent way. It’s an amusement for musicians and audience alike.

“Echoing Legends” is a music that was commissioned by the Ladin school authority. It was a collaboration between the musical schools Val Gardena and Val Badia, and the middle school Ortisei. In terms of content, it’s all about the legend of the Fanes kingdom, which is considered as the Ladin national epic. Roland Verra wrote poems about this legend and as a result, this musical was born. The musical part of the work consists of nine pieces, some of them are only instrumental while others comprise singing with lyrics in Ladin. The musical style varies from film music elements to a fanfare and Charleston.

“We sing together” is an homage to four traditional Val Gardena folk songs: “Gherdëina, Gherdëina”, “Tan bel ch’l ie sa mont”, “La ferata” and “Ciantia da mont” (translations: “Val Gardena, Val Gardena”, “How beautiful it is in the mountains”, “The train” and “Mountain song”). The four songs are kept in their traditional form but also undergo some compositional transformations. A sung part is included as well.

“Saleren” is the historical name of the mountain “Schlern/Sciliar” and was commissioned by the youth wind orchestra Jungschlern and the Raiffeisenkasse Kastelruth-St. Ulrich bank.
The piece was written for two wind orchestras: one on a higher and the other on a lower level (children’s wind orchestra). The challenge for the musicians lies in playing together between the two wind orchestras.
“Saleren” starts off with an imposing motif, which is played by the horn register. This is the leitmotif of the whole composition. It keeps changing, for example in terms of tone color. The children’s wind orchestra is introduced after a short time through a simple melody that is based on the same harmony structure as the leitmotif. The two orchestras will then not only play one after the other, but also simultaneously, until the piece ends with a majestic finale.

“Music and soul” is a concert concept by the composer Matthäus Crepaz. It contains exclusively works arranged by Leopold Stokowski, based on composers such as J. S. Bach, G. F. Händel, S. W. Rachmaninow and C. Franck. The introduction, the interludes and the finale were composed by Matthäus Crepaz. This “framework” contains a leitmotif, which runs like a golden thread through the whole concert program of “Music and soul”. What’s more, the main melodies and themes from Stokowski’s works function as links in Crepaz’s compositions.

“Blood Sense” is a song by the band “Nolunta’s”, who asked the composer Matthäus Crepaz to incorporate a string quartet from the second third of the song on.

This cozy swing combines humorous moments with casual sequences. Every instrument is challenged and gets some solo parts.

This concert march was the composer’s first commissioned work. The music band Ortisei/Val Gardena summoned the courage to give a young musician the chance to write a piece of music. Matthäus Crepaz once promised himself (see title “The Word of Honor”) that, should he write a march one day, he would make the usually backing instruments stand out for once. Perfect example: the horn! As a consequence, the “poor” clarinets are neglected and have to fulfill the function of backing instruments (with only few exceptions). A characteristic of this march is the constant change of pace in the trio strain.
Matthäus Crepaz says: “I wrote a march that is impossible to march to, and that seems to be too short because of its exaggerated pompousness, probably exactly because the “word of honor” is often on the short side nowadays.”

This simple and short air for two flugelhorns and two tenor horns describes an atmosphere which can only be sensed in more highly situated areas. It’s the “peace on a mountain pasture”.

This modern air consists of a motif that builds up in terms of dynamics and tone colors. The motif is touched upon by every instrument and the accompaniment figures keep changing.

This modern air consists of a melody that radiates warm-heartedness, thanks to polished harmonies. The music is kept fresh until the very end, through changing keys and different variations.

Life is full of precious moments which pass at some point. Looking back, we are overcome by a bittersweet feeling and think “It was a nice time”. This composition wants to capture this mood.

When your father tells stories about former times, a feeling of melancholy usually comes with it. This modern air tries to capture this special moment with its music.

The simple tune, which is clad in various keys and accompaniment figures, gives the listener time and space to let their thoughts wander.

The composer pursued the goal of capturing the topic of “time” through the traditional means of a simple air/tune. In order to do this, he makes use of a stately melody as well as extensive chords and tempo variations.

Be whisked away into a world of senses, of tranquility and inner peace. The audio frequency in “Blue Love” was produced with 432 Hz. This lower frequency is in accord with the natural Earth frequency and is thus very soothing. Moreover, it helps to synchronize the two sides of the brain, and to harmonize body, soul and DNA.
This music was produced exclusively with virtual and digital instruments. It’s music for the senses.