Punchinello

Alfred Reed

Subtitle: Overture to a Romantic Comedy, for Concert Band

General Info

Year: 1974
Duration: c. 7:50
Difficulty: V (see Ratings for explanation)
Publisher: C.L. Barnhouse
Cost: Score and Parts (print) - $150.00 | Score Only (print) - $20.00

Instrumentation

Full Score
C Piccolo/Flute III
Flute I-II
Oboe I-II
English Horn (optional)
Bassoon I-II
Contrabassoon (optional)
E-flat Soprano Clarinet
B-flat Soprano Clarinet I-II-III
E-flat Alto Clarinet
B-flat Bass Clarinet
B-flat Contrabass Clarinet
E-flat Alto Saxophone I-II
B-flat Tenor Saxophone
E-flat Baritone Saxophone
B-flat Cornet I-II
B-flat Trumpet I-II-III
E-flat Horn or Alto I-II-III-IV
Horn in F I-II-III-IV
Trombone I-II-III
Bass Trombone
Euphonium
Tuba
String Bass
Timpani
Percussion, including:

Bass Drum
Bells
Crash Cymbals
Snare Drum
Suspended Cymbal
Xylophone

Errata

None discovered thus far.

Program Notes

This brilliant work, combining elements of the symphonic variation form with those of the large theater pit orchestra styling, was written for the Western Illinois Symphonic Wind Ensemble and its conductor, Christopher Izzo. The first performance took place on November 14th, 1973, at Macomb, Illinois, at one of their fall concerts on campus.

The music is in the traditional three-part overture form (fast-slow-fast) with a warm lyrical middle section set off by a brilliant opening and closing group of themes that are constantly developed with all of the resources of the modern integrated wind ensemble. Although there is no program note denoting how the music was conceived in terms of any specific play, story or film, some listeners might just perhaps find a touch of nostalgia in the long, singing line of the middle section, or in the exciting theater two-step rhythms in the final portion. The only real clue as to what the music is about may be found in its subtitle: Overture to a Romantic Comedy ... and the elements of both romance and comedy have indeed always remained the same, and, hopefully, will continue to be so!

- Program Note from score

Media

Audio: Reference recording. Ensemble and conductor unknown
Audio CD: Mansfield University Concert Wind Ensemble (Adam F. Brennan, conductor) – 2013
Audio CD: Tokyo Kosei Wind Orchestra (Alfred Reed, conductor) – 1987

State Ratings

Alabama: Class AA
Arkansas: V
Georgia: VI
Iowa: IV
Indiana: ISSMA SENIOR BAND GROUP I
Kansas: V
Louisiana: IV
Maryland: I
Michigan: Senior High AA
New York: Concert Band V
Ohio: OMEA High School Band C
Tennessee: VI
Virginia: VI

Performances

To submit a performance please join The Wind Repertory Project

Oregon State University (Corvallis) Wind Symphony (Olin Hannum, conductor) - 18 November 2021
Tallahassee (Fla.) Winds (Patrick Dunnigan, conductor) – 11 February 2020
Florida State University (Tallahassee, Fla.) Concert Band (Steve Kelly, conductor) – 11 February 2019
Indiana University (Bloomington) Symphonic Band (Eric M. Smedley, conductor) – 13 November 2018
University of Oregon (Eugene) Wind Symphony (Nicholas Soenyun, conductor) – 26 October 2018
University of Georgia (Athens) Hodgson Symphonic Band (Michael Robinson, conductor) – 24 September 2018
Oak Ridge (Tenn.) Community Band/Wind Ensemble (Dale Pendley, conductor) - 15 April 2018
Wartburg College (Waverly, Iowa) Wind Ensemble (Craig A. Hancock, conductor) – 15 April 2018
Indiana University (Bloomington) Summer Concert Band (Stephen W. Pratt, conductor) – 21 June 2017
2016 Virginia All-State Band – 9 April 2016

Works for Winds by This Composer

Adaptable Music

Come, Sweet Death (Flex instrumentation) (as transcriber; arr. Benson) (1736/1976/2019)
A Festival Prelude (Flex instrumentation) (arr. Haga) (1962/2019)
Two Bagatelles (Flex instrumentation) (arr. Clark) (1983/1997/2010)

All Wind Works

Acclamation!
Alleluia! Laudamus Te (1973)
Arioso (as arranger) (1729/1998)
Armenian Dances (1972-1978)
- Armenian Dances, Part One (1972/1974)
- Armenian Dances, Part Two (1978)
Around the World in 80 Days: Selections (as arranger; ed. Rogers) (1957/2017)
Autumn Leaves (as arranger; ed. Rogers) (1947/2017)
Ballade (1956/1999)
Bachianas Brasileiras No. 4 Suite (as arranger) (1965)
Berceuse and Finale from "The Firebird" (as editor; arr. McAlister) (1910/2005)
The Big East March (1997)
Canto e Camdombe
Carmen (as editor; tr. McAlister) (1875/2000)
A Celebration Fanfare (1989)
A Ceremonial Fanfare (1971)
Ceremony of Flourishes (1964)
Chanson Triste (as arranger) (1878/1989)
Characteristic Dances from "The Nutcracker Suite" (as editor with McAlister; tr. Rogan) (1892/2001)
Children's Suite (2000)
A Christmas Suite (1974)
Chorale Prelude in E minor (1953/1966)
A Christmas Celebration (1987)
A Christmas Intrada (1980)
Clear Track Polka (as arranger) (1869/2000)
Come, Sweet Death (as arranger) (1736/1976)
Come, Sweet Death (as transcriber; arr. Benson) (1736/1976/2019)
Concertino (as arranger; ed. McCathren) (1811/1962)
Concertino for Marimba and Winds (1993)
Concerto for Trumpet and Winds (1995/1997)
- Sonata
- Slow Blues, Jazz Waltz
- Song, Samba
Curtain Up! (1991)
Dance of the Hours (as editor; tr. Kennedy) (1876/)
Danza Caribe (1986)
Deck Thyself, My Soul, With Gladness (as arranger) (1653/1724/1990)
Divertimento for Flute and Band (1998)
Double Wind Quintet (1975)
East and West (2003)
El Camino Real (1985)
El Camino Real (arr. Longfield) (1985/2013)
The Enchanted Island (1980)
The Entertainer (as arranger) (1902/1974)
Evolutions (1993)
Exhortation and Praise (2003)
Fanfare and Processional (2005)
The Fantasticks (as arranger) (1966)
Fantasy on "Black Is the Color of My True Love's Hair" (as arranger) (1973)
A Festival Prelude (1962)
A Festival Prelude (Flex instrumentation) (arr. Haga) (1962/2019)
A Festive Overture (1963)
Fifth Suite for Band (1995)
Fifth Symphony (1995)
Finlandia (as editor; tr. McAlister) (1900/2004)
First Suite for Band (1975)
Five Cameos (2002)
Five Dances for Five Clarinets and Band
Forget Me Not, O Dearest Lord (as arranger) (c. 1736/1985)
Fourth Suite for Band (1994)
Fourth Symphony (1992)
French Suite
Funiculi Funicula (as arranger) (1880/1994)
The Garden of Proserpine
Giligia (2000)
Golden Eagle (1989/1995)
Golden Jubilee (1987)
The Golden Year (1997)
Greensleeves (1993/2011)
Gypsy Dance (as arranger) (1872/1997)
Havana Moon
Highlights from "Exodus" (as arranger) (1960/1962)
Highlights from Walt Disney's "Mary Poppins" (as arranger) (1963/1965)
The Hounds of Spring (1981)
Huldigungsmarsch (as editor) (1864/2002)
Hungarian Rhapsody No. 2 (as editor; tr. McAlister) (1853/2002)
Hymn Variants (1992)
I Left my Heart in San Francisco (as transcriber; ed. Rogers) (1954/1963)
Imperatrix (1972)
In Dulci Jubilo (as arranger) (1970)
In Memoriam (1972)
Intrada Drammatica (1968/1992)
Jazz Waltz. See: Concerto for Trumpet and Winds
Jesu, Joy of Man's Desiring (as arranger) (1723/1981)
Jidai (2001)
Joyeux Noël (Brass Ensemble) (1998)
Joyeux Noël (Wind Ensemble) (1998/2001/2002)
A Jubilant Overture (1970)
A Jubilant Overture (arr. Conaway) (1970/2011)
The King of Love My Shepherd Is (1995)
L’Arlésienne Suite No 2 (as editor, with McAlister) (1872/2002)
Laid-Back Rag
Light Cavalry Overture (as editor; tr. McAlister) (1866/2003)
A Little Concert Suite (1984)
Lumberjack Overture
Macarena (as arranger) (1992)
Mancini! (as arranger) (1965)
March Grandioso (as arranger) (1901/1969)
Mary Poppins (as arranger) (1964/2006)
Might and Majesty
Millennium III (1999)
Mr. Music (1990)
The Music-Makers (1968)
Music for Hamlet (1973/2018)
Music in the Air! (2000)
The Music Man: Highlights (as arranger) (1957/1959)
My Fair Lady (as arranger) (1956/?)
My Heart Is Filled With Longing (as arranger) (c. 1710/1986)
Nimrod (as arranger) (1899/1965)
Nocturne (as arranger) (1886/1953/1975)
A Nordic Trilogy (with Erickson and Davis) (1967)
A Northern Legend (1972)
O Little Town (as arranger)
O Most Wonderful (as arranger)
Ode for Trumpet (1956)
Old and New (2002)
Othello (1977)
Our Father Who Art in Heaven (as arranger) (1710/1988)
Passacaglia (1967)
Pavane for a Dead Princess (as orchestrator; ed. McAlister) (1899/1988)
Piccolo Concerto in C major (as arranger) (1728-29/1962/1969)
Pilgrim's Chorus (as arranger) (1845/1991)
The Pledge of Allegiance (1970)
Pomp and Circumstance Military March No. 1 (as editor; tr. Retford) (1907/2000)
Pomp and Circumstance Military March No. 2 (as editor; tr. Retford) (1907/2000)
Pomp and Circumstance Military March No. 3 (as editor; tr. Retford) (1907/2000)
Pomp and Circumstance Military March No. 4 (as editor; tr. Retford) (1907/2000)
Praise Jerusalem! (1986)
Prelude IV (as arranger) (1722/1983)
Prelude and Capriccio (1978)
Prelude, Op. 9, No. 1 (as arranger) (1894/1985)
Prelude to Act III from "Lohengrin" (as arranger, with McAlister) (1850/2006)
Presentation of the Silver Rose (as arranger) (1910/1988)
Pro Texana (1984)
Punchinello (1974)
Radetzky March (as arranger) (1848/1993)
Rahoon (1965)
The Ramparts of Courage (1995)
Rosalind in the Forest of Arden (2005)
Rushmore (1981)
Russian Christmas Music (1944)
Russian Christmas Music (arr. Curnow) (1944/1990)
A Sacred Suite
Salutations! (1995)
Samba. See: Concerto for Trumpet and Winds
Seascape: A Dramatic Intermezzo (1962)
Second Century (1986)
Second Suite for Band (1980)
Second Symphony (1979)
Selections from Walt Disney's "Mary Poppins" (as editor; arr. Kostal) (1963/1964)
Serenade (1966)
Seventh Suite for Band (2002)
The Severn Suite (as arranger) (1973)
Siciliana Notturno (1977)
Silver Shadow (1998/1999)
Sine Nomine (as arranger) (1906/1976)
Sixth Suite for Band
Slavonic Folk Suite (1953/1987)
Slow Blues. See: Concerto for Trumpet and Winds
Sonata. See: Concerto for Trumpet and Winds
Song. See: Concerto for Trumpet and Winds
Song of the High Cascades
Song of Threnos (1964)
A Springtime Celebration (1991)
The Strenuous Life (as arranger) (1902/1974)
Sumus Futuro (1999)
A Symphonic Prelude (1963)
Symphony for Brass and Percussion (1952/1967)
Symphony No. 1. See: Symphony for Brass and Percussion
Symphony No. 2. See: Second Symphony
Symphony No. 3 (1988)
- Variations on the Porazzi Theme of Wagner (1882/1988)
Symphony No. 4. See: Fourth Symphony
Symphony No. 5. See: Fifth Symphony
Tannhäuser Grand March (as editor; tr. McAlister) (1847/2005)
Tarantella (1996)
Testament of an American (1974)
Theme from "Lawrence of Arabia" (as arranger) (1963)
Third Suite for Band (1982)
Third Symphony. See: Symphony No. 3
Three Chorales (as arranger; ed. McAlister) (?/2013)
Three Revelations from the Lotus Sutra (1984)
Three Symphonic Preludes (as arranger)
Thunder and Lightning (1999)
The Tsar's Farewell (as arranger) (2001)
Twelfth Night (2003)
Two Bagatelles (Flex instrumentation) (arr. Clark) (1983/1997/2010)
Two Bagatelles (1983/1995)
Two Bagatelles for Concert Band (1983/1997)
Two Bagatelles for Four Trombones (1983)
Variations on the Porazzi Theme of Wagner. See: Symphony No. 3
Victory! (2005)
Vilia (as arranger) (1905/1990)
Vilabella March (as editor) (1970)
Viva Musica! (1984)
Wapawekka (1963)
With Trumpets And Drums (1992)

Resources

Reed, A. (1974). Punchinello : Overture to a Romantic Comedy [score]. C.L. Barnhouse: Oskaloosa, Iowa.