Par SIBELIUS JEAN. The Suite is a student exercise, first performed 13. 4. 1889 at a musical soirée at the Helsinki Music Institute. Ferruccio Busoni, who was teacher of piano at the Institute at the time, described the first performance as follows: “We sharpened our concentration as we realised that we were about to hear something quite beyond the usual standard for student works…”. In the A major suite, colour comes to the fore for the first time as a major element in Sibelius’s music. The emphasis on sonic texture is joined – somewhat unusually for such an early work – by a fairly bold handling of rhythm and harmony. Unfortunately only the first three movements of the suite have survived in tact. The concept of the missing Gigue has survived, however, and is included in this publication./ Répertoire / Trio à Cordes

New Edition of the Complete Works V/5. Par SCHUBERT FRANZ. In addition to his symphonies, Franz Schubert also wrote and handed down to posterity a total of eight finished concert overtures (two of them in two versions) between ca. 1811 and 1819. With the exception of the “Overture in D” (D 4) to the comedy “Der Teufel als Hydraulicus” (“The Devil as Engineer”) and the “Overture in D” (D 26), whose original title was cut out of the manuscript, they are all compositions which are associated neither with a drama nor a programme. They thus embody the type of the pure concert overture at an astonishingly early point in the history of music and are also in keeping with this terminologically by virtue of explicitly not having any other appellations whatsoever in the title: the epithet common for two works “in the Italian style” was only added posthumously. Our volume sees publication for the first time of the “Italian Overture in C” (D 591) in its two authentic versions, this being in contrast to the performance tradition based on a potpourri of the sources. The widely handed-down but corrupted musical course of the “Overture in D” (D 590) has likewise been rectified for the first time. Overshadowed by his symphonies, Schubert’s overtures have hitherto been largely undervalued both in their reception and in musical practice – including the “Overture in E minor” (D 648), which sees Schubert venturing into radically new spheres of expression to a greater extent than in virtually any other of his works./ Recueil / Orchestre

Par SPARKE PHILIP. The Hanover Wind Symphony, New Jersey, USA was founded in 1984 by its conductor Peter Boor. He commissioned HANOVER FESTIVAL to celebrate the band’s 15th Birthday and the first performance took place on October 27th 1999. The piece starts with a solemn brass fanfare. Woodwinds join in and the music subsides into an expressive chorale. A climax is reached and the fanfare returns. Trumpets introduce an explosive vivo section, characterised by an energetic theme from the horns and low clarinets. A bridge passage with strong brass chords leads to a playful section that introduces a legato central theme under woodwind figures. This is taken up by the full band, the playfulmusic returns and the original horn tune is reintroduced. Finally the opening fanfare returns, this time accompanied by music from the vivo section, until a fast and furious coda closes the work. / Niveau : 4 / Pièce de concert / Répertoire / Concert Band ou Harmonie

Par BUCKLEY ROBERT. December was inspired by the holiday season in Canada. It reflects the sounds, the sights, and the moods of that magical time of year. December starts off joyfully with a playful theme of celebration. This leads into an icy, reverent, winter solstice theme. Then there is a further development of the original joyful theme and a jubilant build to the finish. December can be performed with or without the optional choir part. A wonderful addition to any holiday concert. / Niveau : 3 / Date parution : 1905-07-01/ Répertoire / Concert Band ou Harmonie