Carnival Overture

Antonín Dvořák

The work bears the designation Opus 92.

General Info

Year: 1891 / 1922?
Duration: c. 9:30
Difficulty: VI (see Ratings for explanation)
Publisher: Manuscript
Cost Score and Parts - Free

For availability information, see Discussion tab above.

Instrumentation

Full Score
Condensed Score
C Piccolo (notated as D-flat Piccolo in score)
Flute I-II
Oboe I-II
English Horn
E-flat Soprano Clarinet
B-flat Soprano Clarinet Solo-I-II-III
E-flat Alto Clarinet
B-flat Bass Clarinet
Bassoon I-II
E-flat Alto Saxophone
B-flat Tenor Saxophone
E-flat Baritone Saxophone
B-flat Bass Saxophone
B-flat Cornet I-II-III
B-flat Trumpet I-II
Horn in F I-II-III-IV
Trombone I-II-III
Euphonium (div. a2)
Tuba
Harp
Timpani
Percussion I-II-III (5 players), including:

Bass Drum
Crash Cymbals
Snare Drum
Tambourine
Triangle

Errata

None discovered thus far.

Program Notes

The concert overture Carnival (Czech: Karneval, koncertní ouvertura), Op. 92, B. 169, was written by Antonín Dvořák in 1891. It is part of a "Nature, Life and Love" trilogy of overtures written by Dvořák, forming the second "Life" part. The other two parts of the trilogy are In Nature's Realm, Op. 91 ("Nature") and Othello, Op. 93 ("Love").

- Program notes from Wikipedia

Dvorák's Carnival Overture was written in the summer of 1891 as the second of a three-overture set originally called "Nature, Life and Love." Described by Brahms as a "merry work," it is heard here in a transcription by virtuoso trumpeter Herbert L. Clarke.

The work is a joyful and exuberant depiction of a city carnival. Filled with the traditional folk music and dance rhythms that are the hallmark of Dvorák's compositional style, the piece endures as a favorite in the symphonic literature. In a program note penned by the composer, Dvorák states, "The wanderer reaches a city at nightfall where a carnival of pleasure reigns supreme." We hear the "shouts of joy" and "unrestrained hilarity of people giving vent to their feelings..."

- Program Note by Chief Musician James W. Armstrong III for the U.S. Navy Band

1892 was an auspicious year for Antonin Dvorák. In that year he left his home country of Czechoslovakia for the United States in order to assume directorship of the National Conservatory of Music, based in New York City. He would spend the next three years in that post, and do some of his finest work there, including the composition of the so-called “New World” Symphony. As he made his departure from Prague, a farewell concert was given in his honor which included a set of three overtures called “Nature, Life and Love.” The second of these overtures is Carnival. Coincidentally, the same three overture set, or triptych, was performed at Carnegie Hall in a concert welcoming Dvorák to his new home in New York. Of the triptych, Carnival has become extremely popular as a stand-alone concert piece, thrilling audiences with its celebratory character and lively syncopation. As for the emotional quality Dvorák had in mind, the composer describes it thusly:

“The lonely, contemplative wanderer reaches the city at nightfall, where a carnival is in full swing. On every side is heard the clangor of instruments, mingled with shouts of joy and the unrestrained hilarity of people giving vent to their feelings in their songs and dance tunes.”

- Program Note by Andrew Skaggs for the U.S. Navy Band

Commercial Discography

Audio CD: United State Navy Band

Media

Audio: Reference recording. United States Marine Band (Washington, D.C.) (Jason Fettig, conductor)

State Ratings

None discovered thus far.

Performances

To submit a performance please join The Wind Repertory Project

United States Marine Band (Washington, D.C.) (Ryan Nowlin, conductor) – 2 February 2020
University of North Texas (Denton) Symphonic Band (Dennis W. Fisher, conductor) – 19 September 2017
Charleston (S.C.) Southern University Wind Symphony (Marshall Forrester, conductor) – 19 February 2016 (CBDNA 2016 Southern Division Conference, Charleston, S.C.)
United States Navy Band (Washington, D.C.) (Brian O. Walden, conductor) – 17 December 2014 (2014 Midwest Clinic)
United States Marine Band (Washington, D.C.) (Jason Fettig, conductor) – September 2014
United States Navy Band (Brian O. Walden, conductor) - February 2013 (West Coast Tour)

Works for Winds by This Composer

Adaptable Music

New World Breakdown (Flex instrumentation) (arr. Kiefer) (1893/2013/2020)

All Wind Works

Adagio - Allegro Molto from "Symphony No 9" (arr. Johnson) (2015)
Allegro con brio from "Symphony No. 8" (arr. Hartman) (1889/2013)
Carnival Overture (arr. Clarke) (1891/1922?)
Carnival Overture (arr. Mayes) (1891/2019)
Carnival Overture (tr. Patterson) (1891/2023)
Carnival Overture (arr. Schyns) (1891/2012)
Carnival Overture (tr. Steiger) (1891/1982)
Carnival Overture (tr. Walker; ed. Yeago) (1891/2000)
Czech Suite (arr. Sheen) (1879/1988)
Festival March (arr. Bourgeois) (1879/2012)
Festmusik (arr. Woodley) (1901/2007)
Finale from "New World Symphony" (tr. Hindsley) (1893)
Finale from "Symphony No. 9" (tr. Buckley) (1893/2018)
Finale from "Symphony No. 9" (tr. Leidzén) (1893/1936)
Finale Excerpts, "Symphony No 9" (arr. Daehn) (1893/2010)
Finale Symphony No. VIII (scored Schaefer) (1889/1980)
Four Slavonic Dances (arr. Spink) (1886)
Goin' Home (arr. Villanueva) (1893/1996)
The Golden Spinning Wheel (tr. Johnson) (1896/2018)
Humoresque (arr. Glover) (1894/2017)
Largo (arr. Safranek) (1893/1912)
Largo and Finale for Band (from the New World Symphony) (arr. Blahnik) (1893)
Largo and Finale for Brass Choir (from the New World Symphony) (1893)
Largo and Scherzo from "Symphony No 9 in E minor, Opus 95" (tr. Kappey) (1893/1903)
Largo from "New World Symphony" (arr. Williams) (1893/2007)
Legends, Op. 59, Nos. 1 - 5 (arr. Thompson) (1881/2019)
New World Breakdown (Flex instrumentation) (arr. Kiefer) (1893/2013/2020)
Psalm of Praise (arr. Gardner) (1874/1966)
Selections from "Slavonic Dances," Op. 46 (tr. Curnow) (1878/)
Serenade, opus 22 (arr. Moehlmann) (1967)
Serenade in D minor (1878)
Slavonic Dance No. 5 (tr. Curnow)
Slavonic Dance No 1, Op 46 (arr. Linklater) (1878/)
Slavonic Dance No 1, Op 46 (arr. Longfield) (1878/2001)
Slavonic Dance No. 3, Op 46 (arr. Safranek) (1878/1912)
Slavonic Dance, Op 46 No 7 for Woodwind Choir (1878/1999)
Slavonic Dance No 7, Op 46 (arr. Pyter) (1878/2020)
Slavonic Dance No 8, Op 46 (tr. Balent) (1878/2010)
Slavonic Dance No. 8, Op. 46 (arr. Longfield) (1878/1991)
Slavonic Dance No. 8, Op. 46 (arr. Harnsberger) (1878/2004)
Slavonic Dance No 1, Op 72 (tr. Amis) (1886/2001)
Slavonic Dance No 1, Op 72 (arr. Tobani) (1886/1929)
Slavonic Dance No 3, Op 72 (tr. Amis) (1886/2003)
Slavonic Dance No 4, Op 72 (tr. Amis) (1886/1996)
Slavonic Dance No 4 (arr. Sebesky) (1970)
Slavonic Dance No 6, Op 72 (tr. Amis) (1886/2002)
Slavonic Dance No 7, Op 72 (tr. Amis) (1886/1996)
Slavonic Dances, The (tr. Curnow) (1878/1984)
Slavonic Dances (arr. Johnson) (1878/1960)
Slavonic March (arr. Longfield) (1878/2017)
Slawischer Tanz Nr. 4 (arr. Goldhammer) (1878/1995)
Symphony No. 8: Finale (arr. Schaefer). See: Finale Symphony No. VIII
Symphony No. 9: Finale (arr. Harnsberger) (1893/1999)
Symphony No. 9, Fourth Movement (arr. Bělohoubek) (1893/)
Song to the Moon (orch. Silbert) (1901/)
Themes from "New World Symphony" (arr. Sweeney) (1893)
Three Slavonic Dances (arr. Hanna)
Two Biblical Songs for Symphonic Wind Band (arr. Grotenhuis) (1894/2003)

Resources

Carnival Overture, International Music Score Library Project
Dvořák, A.; Clarke, H. [1922?]. Carneval [sic] Overture: Op. 92 [score]. [s.n.]:[s.l.].
United States Navy Band