Classical Overture

by Hal Peterson

Instrumentation: 4 Flutes, 2 Oboes, 2 Bb Clarinets, 2 Bassoons; 4 Horns in F, 2 Trumpets in C (or Bb), 3 Trombones, Tuba; Timpani; Strings.

Duration: 8 minutes and 30 seconds.

Suggested Concert Format: Pops Concert or Series Concert where a short neo-classic overture would be appropriate.

Description: Classical Overture is a celebration of the traditional concert overture genre that has been a mainstay of orchestras for 200 years. The work is constructed using traditional sonata-allegro form, with an introduction, exposition, development, recapitulation, and coda. Moods in the work range from impressionistic to heroic, introspective to bombastic. The overture genre is used to convey a sense of impending drama and is often meant to portray images of action, character, or emotion. This effect of drama should be felt or sensed throughout the performance by both audience and players.

History: Classical Overture was commissioned in 1986 by the El Camino Youth Symphony Association in Palo Alto, California to celebrate the orchestra's twenty-fifth anniversary season. The concept for Classical Overture came about from combining the desire for an engaging work that expressed celebration in vivid and bold musical motifs with the particular orchestraion requested by commissioning music Director Leroy Kromm. The original orchestration was for 4 Flutes, 2 Oboes, 2 Clarinets, 2 Bassoons, 2 Horns, 2 Trumpets, 2 Trombones, Timpani, and Strings. This ensemble of winds in twos led to the idea of a neo-classic work, and hence the title and concept of the piece. In 1990, composer Hal Peterson re-orchestrated the work to utilize the standard brass section of the modern orchestra (4-2-3-1).

About the composer.

About the Edition. The full score and each insturmental part for Classical Overture is published in an individually covered edition, with cover stock front and back and bound with a heatseal binding process. The binding process makes for a permanent part collection for your orchestral library. Each part can lie flat, be placed in an orchestra folder, or can be opened completely to the edge of each page without damaging the seal. The orchestra set comes with one copy of each wind and percussion part, and a string set of 12-12-10-10-10.

Ordering Information:

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