El Relicario (arr Longfield)
Jose Padilla (arr. Robert Longfield)
General Info
Year: 1914 / 1989
Duration: c. 2:45
Difficulty: III-1/2 (see Ratings for explanation)
Publisher: C.L. Barnhouse Company
Cost: Score and Parts (print) - $68.00 | Score Only (print) - $7.00
Instrumentation
Full Score
C Piccolo
Flute I-II
Oboe I-II
English Horn
Bassoon I-II
E-flat Soprano Clarinet
B-flat Soprano Clarinet I-II-III
E-flat Alto Clarinet
B-flat Bass Clarinet
B-flat Contrabass Clarinet
B-flat Soprano Saxophone
E-flat Alto Saxophone I-II
B-flat Tenor Saxophone
E-flat Baritone Saxophone
B-flat Trumpet I-II-III
Horn in F I-II-III-IV
Trombone I-II-III
Euphonium
Tuba
String Bass
Timpani
Percussion, including:
- Bass Drum
- Bells
- Castanets
- Claves
- Crash Cymbals
- Maracas
- Snare Drum
- Tambourine
- Triangle
- Xylophone
Errata
None discovered thus far.
Program Notes
El Relicario is one of the most famous and best loved paso dobles in the band literature. This Spanish march is traditionally performed at bullfights as the participants enter the arena. This setting retains all of the delightful rhythms and enchanting melodies of the original. Its Latin flavor is full of colorful Spanish flourish.
- Program Note from Indian Springs Middle School Band concert program, 12 February 2016
The title translates from Spanish as "The Locket."
Padilla is known for the songs La Violetera and El Relicario, composed for the tonadilla singer Raquel Meller. This song continues to be among the most famous melodies in Spanish music, and it was popularized by the greatest variety song performers of the times.
Its composer, José Padilla, wrote it in Paris, where it attained absolute success and recognition. Not only the person who first popularized it, variety song performer Raquel Meller, but also other great performers such as Celia Gámez and Concha Piquer, owe a significant portion of their popularity to this variety song, or pasodoble.
With the lyrics of Armando Oliveros and José María Castellví, it debuted in Barcelona unsuccessfully. But it was the opposite in its re-debut, now with the voice of Meller, who designed incredible scenery that fit in stupendously with Padilla’s melody. After its debut in Paris in 1920, it was so successful that it sold 110,000 copies of the edition for voice and piano in Paris, alone!
- Program Note from Lee University Wind Ensemble concert program, 8 October 2019
Media
- Audio: Reference recording. The Washington Winds (Edward S. Petersen, conductor)
- Audio CD: The Washington Winds (Edward S. Petersen, conductor) – 1995
State Ratings
- Indiana: ISSMA SENIOR BAND GROUP II
- Kansas: IV
Performances
To submit a performance please join The Wind Repertory Project
- Metropolitan Winds (Plano, Tx.) (Frank Felice, conductor) - 4 March 2023
- University of Michigan - Flint (Flint, MI) Wind Symphony - 22 November 2022
- Arkansas State University (Jonesboro) Concert Band (Steven Riley, conductor) – 27 February 2020
- Windham (NH) Concert Band (Spencer Aston, conductor) – 6 April 2019
- University of Iowa University Band (Nolan Hauta, conductor) – 1 May 2017
- Charlottesville (Va.) Municipal Band (Stephen R. Layman, conductor) – 10 April 2016
- Luther College (Decorah, Iowa) Concert Band (Duane Bierman, conductor) – 26 February 2016 (CBDNA 2016 North Central Division Conference, Ames, Iowa)
- Banda Municipal de Estepona (Spain) (José Antonio López Camacho, conductor) – 2015
- University of Illinois (Urbana-Champaign) Summer Band (Dave Day, conductor) – 18 June 2015
Works for Winds by This Composer
Adaptable Music v
All Wind Works
- El Relicario (Flex instrumentation) (arr. Clark) (1914/2010)
- El Relicario (tr. Lang) (1914/1941)
- El Relicario (arr. Longfield) (1914/1989)
- La Contrabandista
- La Novia de España
- La Violetara (1920)
- A Portrait of Charlie Chaplin (with Charlie Chaplin) (arr. Hoshide)
- Valencia (1918)
Resources
- Padilla, J.; Longfield, R. (1989). El Relicario [score]. C.L. Barnhouse: Oskaloosa, Iowa.
- Perusal score