Russian Easter Overture (arr Erickson)
Nikolai Rimsky-Korsakov (arr. Frank Erickson)
General Info
Year: 1887 / 1994
Duration: c. 7:20
Difficulty: IV (see Ratings for explanation)
Publisher: Alfred Publishing
Cost: Score and Parts - Out of print | Score Only - $7.00
Instrumentation
Full Score
C Piccolo
Flute I-II
Oboe
English Horn
Bassoon
B-flat Soprano Clarinet I-II-III
E-flat Alto Clarinet
B-flat Bass Clarinet
E-flat Contrabass Clarinet
B-flat Contrabass Clarinet
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
Trombone I-II-III
Bass Trombone
Euphonium
Tuba
Timpani
Percussion I-II, including:
- Bass Drum
- Snare Drum
- Crash Cymbals
- Bells
- Gong
- Suspended Cymbal
- Triangle
Errata
None discovered thus far.
Program Notes
Rimsky-Korsakov composed his Russian Easter Overture, Op. 36, between August 1887 and April 1888, and conducted the premiere in St. Petersburg on December 15, 1888. The work was composed when his powers of form and orchestration were at their height. This mature period produced most of his greatest works, not just this overture but also Scheherazade, Op. 35, and the Capriccio Espagnol, Op. 34. Having taught composition, harmony, and orchestration for some years at the St. Petersburg Conservatory, he achieved in these late works a masterful and uniqueness of form, exquisite melodies, and rich orchestration. In his autobiography, he writes as follows about his overture: “In my overture are combined reminiscences of the ancient prophecy and of the gospel narrative: also a general picture of the Easter service with its pagan merrymaking.”
In this transcription, it is easy to hear his knowledge and his love for wind and percussion instruments. In the transcribing process, one can learn a great deal about how he combined the many colors of the wind instruments and observe how, in this extraordinary work, he used the various colors to portray the somber mystery of Good Friday and the uninhibited rejoicing of Easter Day.
Of the several themes that Rimsky-Korsakov creates in this work, there are two that are exceptional. One opens the Overture and is later repeated by the trombone -- throaty and beseeching, mirroring the priest’s chanting, growing in power throughout the work. A second theme, rhythmic and driving, cleverly introduced by the timpani and spreading contagiously to the other instruments, echoes the Christian ecstasy of the Russian Easter. Woven into these themes are climaxes that only the master Rimsky-Korsakov could create, moments that seem to split the atmosphere apart as they rise to the powerful end.
- Program notes by William V. Johnson
Media
State Ratings
- Florida: V
- Kansas: V
- North Carolina: V
- Oklahoma: IV-A
- South Carolina: V
- Virginia: IV
Performances
To submit a performance please join The Wind Repertory Project
- Chester County (Penn.) Concert Band (David W. Reif, conductor) - 3 May 2015
Works for Winds by This Composer
- Bolero for Band
- Capriccio Espagnol (tr. Courtain) (1887/1959)
- Capriccio Espagnol (tr. Hindsley) (1887)
- Capriccio Espagnol (arr. Williams) (1887/1993)
- Capriccio Espagnol (arr. Winterbottom) (1887/1923)
- Capriccio Espagnole (arr. Nefs) (1887/2015)
- Concerto for B-flat Clarinet and Wind Orchestra (ed. Seely) (1878/2000)
- Concerto for Trombone and American Band (arr. Nallin) (1877/1952-1953)
- Concerto for Trombone and Military Band (ed. Makarov) (1877/1950)
- Concerto for Trombone and Military Band (ed. McAlister) (1877/1981)
- Concertstück in Eb for Clarinet and Military Band (adapt. Piket) (1878/1981)
- Cortege from "Mlada" (1890)
- Dance of the Buffoons (tr. Sartorius) (1882/1935)
- Dance of the Tumblers (arr. Balent) (1882/2000)
- Dance of the Tumblers (arr. Curnow) (1882/2012)
- Dance of the Tumbers (arr. Vosbein) (1882/1991)
- Dubinuska (tr. Schreurs) (1906/2018)
- Fanfare, Canto and Fandango (arr. Custer) (1887/1996)
- Festival at Baghdad (arr. Winterbottom) (1888/1912)
- Festival at Baghdad. See also: Scheherazade
- Flight of the Bumblebee (arr. Davis) (1900/1978)
- Flight of the Bumblebee (arr. Murtha) (1900/)
- The Golden Cockerel (arr. Lake) (1922)
- Mlada Suite (arr. Glocke) (1890)
- Notturno (ed. King) (1888/1957/2001)
- Polonaise (arr. McLain) (1895/2017)
- Polonaise (arr. Duthoit) (1895/1937)
- Polonaise from "Pan Voyevoda" (arr. Bourgeois) (1903/2013)
- Procession of the Nobles (arr. Bocook) (1870/1992/2006)
- Procession of the Nobles (arr. Leidzen) (1870/1938/1999)
- Quintet in B-flat major (1876)
- Quintet in B-flat major (ed. Kirkor) (1876/1951)
- Russian Easter Overture (tr. Johnson) (1888/2013)
- Russian Easter Overture (arr. Bocook) (1888/2000)
- Russian Easter Overture (arr. Erickson) (1888/1994)
- Russian Easter Overture (arr. Harnsberger) (1888/2005)
- Russian Easter Overture (arr. Kasama) (1888/)
- Scheherazade (tr. Bocook) (1888/2006)
- Scheherazade (tr. Hindsley) (1888/197-?)
- Scheherazade I The Sea and Sinbad's Ship (tr. Hindsley) (1888/197-?)
- Scheherazade II The Story of the Kalandar Prince (tr. Hindsley) (1888/1986)
- Scheherazade III The Young Prince and Princess (tr. Hindsley) (1888/197-?)
- Scheherazade IV Festival at Baghdad (tr. Hindsley) (1888/197-?)
- Scheherazade (arr. Mortimer) (1888/2000)
- Scheherazade (tr. Patterson) (1888/)
- Scheherazade Selections (arr. Harnsberger) (1888/2009)
- A Song of India (arr. Lake) (1896/1920)
- Song of India (arr. van der Beek) (1896/2008)
- Song of India (arr. Hautvast) (1896/2017)
- Suite from "Le Coq D'or" (arr. Hanna)
- Symphony No. 2 (tr. Southard) (1868/2015)
- The Tsar's Bride Overture (tr. Harding) (1899/1954)
- The Tsar's Farewell (arr. Reed) (2001)
- Variations on a Theme of Glinka (ed. McAlister) (1878/1987)
- Wedding March from The Golden Cockerel (tr. Harding) (1957)
Resources
- Rimsky-Korsakov, N.; Erickson, F. (1994) Russian Easter Overture [score]. Alfred Pub.: Sherman Oaks, Calif.