Full Orchestra - Level 4 - Digital Download
SKU: A0.1404615
Composed by Georges Bizet. Arranged by Donald Jay Smith. Classical,Contest,Festival,Historic,Instructional,Romantic Period. 164 pages. Donald Jay Smith Music #987680. Published by Donald Jay Smith Music (A0.1404615).
I adapted this movement of Bizet's only symphony for my high school orchestra so that they would have the experience and challenge of performing a major symphonic work written by Bizet when he was 17 years old-like many of them. The movement fit programing concerns (only lasting 12 minutes, 8 minutes without the repeat) and instrumentation demands for the orchestra I had at the school at that time. I found limited similar repertoire available that was appropriate to challenge my students. I was also personally motivated to dig deeper into this piece by adapting it, much like early composers learned by serving as copyists for previous musical legends. More recently, I performed this as a guest conductor with a senior level honors orchestra in Massachussetts. In both cases the work was the focus of musical stimulation as well as inspiring fully engaged student conversation about many aspects of this movement. In short, the students enjoyed preparing and performing the piece, almost as much as the audiences were impressed by the performances. Hopefully Bizet's teacher at the Paris Conservatiore, Charles Gounod, rewarded Bizet with a good grade! I put in the extra time to publish this so that many other students would have the opportunity to study this piece, composer, style and period of music. I sincerely hope that you and your orchestra will enjoy Allegro vivo from Symphonie in C Major!
