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Overture: Alexandra Palace
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General Info
Year: 1975 / 1994
Duration: c. 6:30
Difficulty: IV-1/2 (see Ratings for explanation)
Publisher: G & M Brand
Cost: Score and Parts (print) - $75.00 | Score Only (print) - $12.00
Instrumentation
Full Score
C Piccolo
Flute I-II
Oboe I-II
Bassoon I-II
E-flat Soprano Clarinet
B-flat Soprano Clarinet I-II-III
E-flat Alto Clarinet
B-flat Bass Clarinet
E-flat Alto Saxophone I-II
B-flat Tenor Saxophone
E-flat Baritone Saxophone
B-flat Cornet I-II-III
B-flat Trumpet I-II
Horn in F I-II-III-IV
Trombone I-II-III
Euphonium
Tuba
String Bass
Timpani
Percussion I-II
(percussion detail desired)
Errata
None discovered thus far.
Program Notes
Alexandra Palace was written in 1975 as a commission from the Greater London Council to celebrate the centenary of the iconic Alexandra Palace that dominates the North London cityscape. The palace has been a venue for the largest of concerts, and still is to this day.
- Program Note by Robert Martin
Alexandra Palace in North London stands as an enormous landmark boasting a history of concerts and events to match its huge structure.
During the 1930s it became the first home for BBC Television and was still being used for transmissions in the 1950s.
In 1975, as part of the centenary celebrations for the Palace, the Greater London Council commissioned Gordon Jacob to write a work to be performed at the Palace. His response was the Overture: Alexandra Palace, first heard in the great hall played by The Royal Marines Massed Bands plus a fanfare group on 25 May 1975. Such large forces, and the grandeur of the music, was entirely in keeping with the building's lofty architecture.
Over the years Alexandra Palace became affectionately known as Ally Pally, and this was the composer's original title for his overture.
Subsequently the overture, like the palace itself, was almost forgotten until, by happy chance, discussion relating to the centenary of Gordon Jacob's birth in 1895 acted as a reminder.
Under its new title and with the fanfare parts incorporated into the main score, Overture: Alexandra Palace is now available to everybody to enjoy, as a tribute to a remarkably gifted musician, composer, teacher.
A flow of lively ideas, succinct structure, sureness of orchestration, all are present as a reminder of Gordon Jacob's special skills, which he employed daily right up to his death in 1984.
- Program Note from score
Media
State Ratings
- Alabama: Class AA
- Tennessee: VI
Performances
To submit a performance please join The Wind Repertory Project
- California State University, Long Beach, Symphonic Band (Jermie Arnold, conductor) – 11 October 2018
Works for Winds by This Composer
- The Battell (as transcriber) (1964)
- Cameos for Bass Trombone and Wind Band
- Celebration Overture (1984)
- Concerto for Band (1969)
- Concerto for Bassoon and Strings (or Band) (1948)
- Concerto for Horn (tr. Rogers) (1951)
- Concerto for Timpani and Band (1984/1988)
- Concerto for Trombone (1956/1995)
- Concerto for Trombone (arr. Denis Wick) (1956/1999)
- Divertimento in E-flat for Wind Octet (1969)
- Double Concerto for Clarinet and Trumpet and Band (1929/1979/1983)
- Fantasia for Euphonium and Band (1969/1973)
- Fantasia on an English Folk Song (1984)
- Fantasia on the Alleluia Hymn (arr. Wagner) (1949/2012)
- First Saxophone Quartet. See: Saxophone Quartet No. 1
- Flag of Stars (1956)
- Giles Farnaby Suite
- Moorside March (as arranger) (1928/1960)
- More Old Wine in New Bottles (1978)
- Music for a Festival (1951)
- Old Wine in New Bottles (1958)
- An Original Suite (1928)
- Overture: Alexandra Palace (1975/1994)
- Prelude to a Comedy
- Saxophone Quartet No. 1 (1974)
- Saxophone Quartet No. 2 (1979)
- Second Saxophone Quartet. See: Saxophone Quartet No. 2
- Sir Godfrey Kneller's March
- Suite in B-flat
- Sweet Nightingale
- Symphony AD 78
- Tribute to Canterbury (1972/1977)
- William Byrd Suite (1924/1960)
- William Byrd Suite (ed. Trachsel) (1924/1960/2007)
Resources
- Jacob, G. (1994). Overture: Alexandra Palace [score]. G&M Brand Publications: Wingrave, England.
- Perusal score