Rejouissance

James Curnow

Rejouissance in French means "enjoyment" or "make happy"; in English it is "rejoicing". In music of the 17th and 18th centuries, the term was used to denote a short composition of a lively or playful nature which brings enjoyment to the listener. This fantasia (a composition in which "free flight of fancy" prevails over contemporary conventions of form or style) is based on Martin Luther's Ein' Feste Burg (A Mighty Fortress Is Our God).

James Curnow (b. 1943) was born in Port Huron, Michigan. He received his initial music training in the public schools and the Salvation Army. He studied at Wayne State University and at Michigan State. He lives in Nicholasville, Kentucky where he is president, composer and educational consultant for Curnow Music Press, Inc. He also serves as composer-in-residence (emeritus) on the faculty of Asbury College in Wilmore, Kentucky, and is editor of all music publications for the Salvation Army in Atlanta, Georgia. Hi published works exceed four hundred.

Last updated on July 5, 2013 by Palatine Concert Band