‘La forza del destino (The Power of Fate) is an Italian opera by Giuseppe Verdi. The libretto was written by Francesco Maria Piave based on a Spanish drama, ‘Don Álvaro o la fuerza del sino’, by Ángel de Saavedra.
‘La forza del destino’ is frequently performed and in addition, the overture (to the revised version of the opera) is part of the standard repertoire for orchestras, often played as the opening piece at concerts.
Publisher: → Baton Music
In 1876, Edvard Grieg created incidental music for the premiere of Ibsen’s play ‘Peer Gynt’, at the request of the author. Many of the pieces from this work became very popular in the form of orchestral suites or piano and piano-duet arrangements. The ‘Peer Gynt Suite No1.’ contains 4 movements: ‘Morining Mood’, ‘Aase’s Death’, ‘Anitra’s Dance’ and In the ‘Hall of the Mountain King’.
Publisher: → Baton Music
Rossini’s ‘Il Barbiere di Siviglia’ (1816) is one of the greatest of all comic operas. Based on an excellent play by Beaumarchais, The ‘Barber of Seville’ delights audiences with its keenly sketched characters, melodic elegance, rhythmic exhilaration, superb ensemble writing and original en delightful orchestration. The spontaneity of the score is such that one has an impression of music spouting from his pen, as it were, under high pressure. This spontaneity has contributed that the overture itself has conquered the concert repertoire and is nowadays an often played opening piece at many concerts.
Publisher: → Baton Music
Demo Recording:
Live performance by “Harmonie De Vriendenkrans Heel”, conducted by Martien Maas
Less well known, perhaps, but no less brilliant, is the overture to the one-act farce Il Signor Bruschino in wich Rossini apparently caused a near scandal by directing the violins to beat out rhytms with their bows on the music stands. In this fine arrangement this effect is reached by clapping the keys of the clarinets and saxophones.
Recording:
Publisher: → Baton Music
A 10-part suite for wind ensemble
2 flutes, 2 oboes, 2 clarinets, 2 bassoons, 2 horns, 1 trumpet, 1 trombone and string bass.
A Day at the Castle
Publisher: Janssen Music
For all kind of voices and piano or woodwind quintet.
Dost thou not care?
Goblin Market
Grown and Flown
May
Somewhere or other
The Bourne
Up-hill
Song 1
Song 2
Demo Score: → The Bourne (version for alto), → The Lowest Place (version for tenor), → Grown and Flown (version for soprano and winds)
Publisher: Janssen Music
For ordering, please fill in the →contact form.
Most of the music which Shostakovich used for his Ballet Suites was composed for the silent films in the early 30ies or was re-used from early opera’s and ballets.
Ballet Suite nr.4 contains three movements: Introduction, Waltz and Scherzo.
Publisher: → Baton Music
After completing and premiering his powerful and controversial 13th Symphony, Babi Yar, in 1962, Dmitri Shostakovich (1906-1975) spent the next year in a state of physical and creative recuperation. The only original work he wrote in 1963 was the ‘Overture on Russian and Kirghiz Folk Themes’, a memento of his visit to Kirghizstan that year. He promised the local people he would write a piece for them, and he kept that promise. By October, his ‘Overture of Russian and Kirghiz Folk Themes’ was completed, and on November 2, 1963, the work was premiered in Frunze (now renamed Bishkek), the capital of Kirghizstan. To symbolize the links between Russia and Kirghizstan, Shostakovich chose a Russian theme and two Kirghiz themes drawn from existing folk collections for his overture. The Kirghiz melodies, one heard immediately in the overture’s quiet, slowtempo introduction, are ‘Tryrldan’ about a mythological creature and ‘Op Maida’, a threshers’ song. The Russian theme is ‘Ekh, brodyagi vy, brodyagi’ (O You Tramps) from the Siberian region of Omsk. Shostakovich’s vivid orchestration and dramatic flair animate this colorful but rarely heard work.
Publisher: → Baton Music