Casanova

Johan de Meij

Subtitle: For Cello and Wind Orchestra

General Info

Year: 2000
Duration: c. 26:20
Difficulty: (see Ratings for explanation)
Publisher: Amstel Music
Cost: Score and Parts (print) - $435.00 | Score Only (print) - $94.00

Movements (played without pause)

1. Prologo - Il Tema di Messer Grande (Prologue - the Messer Grande Theme) - 1:44
2. Cadenza - Atto di Presentazione (Cadenza - Casanova presents himself) - 1:57
3. La Vita a Corte (Court live) - 2:24
4. L'Arresto di Casanova (Casanova's arrest) - 2:37
5. Reminiscenze (Reveries) - 6:30
6. L'Evasione dai Piombi (Escape from the Piombi Prison) - 6:32
7. M.M. e C.C. (M.M. and C.C.) - 1:46
8. Finale e Stretto: Il Trionfo dell'Amore (Love's triumph) - 2:50

Instrumentation

Score
Solo Cello
C Piccolo
Flute I-II
Oboe I-II
English Horn
Bassoon I-II
Contrabassoon
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 Trumpet I-II-III-IV
Horn in F I-II-III-IV
Trombone I-II-III
Euphonium (div.)
Tuba (div.)
String Bass
Piano
Celesta
Harp
Timpani
Percussion, including:

Bass Drum
Conga
Crash Cymbal
Dobachi (Japanese Temple Bells) (2)
Finger Cymbal
Glockenspiel
Lion's Roar
Marimba
Snare Drum
Suspended Cymbal
Tambourine
Tam-tam
Temple Block
Thundersheet
Tom-tom
Triangle
Tubular Bells
Vibraphone
Whip
Xylophone

Errata

Mallets, m.628, beat 3: Vibraphone D should read D-sharp.

Program Notes

The composition Casanova is a musical portrait of Giacomo Casanova who lived from 1725 to 1798. This illustrious character, represented by the violoncello, takes shape by means of eight musical scenes. The events concentrate on some of the most striking episodes from Casanova’s adventurous life: his arrest, his captivity and his escape from the ill-famed Piombi prison in Venice. By composing this work, two of my long-lived dreams came true. First of all, I wanted to write a musical homage to one of my favorite composers, Giacomo Puccini. Secondly, for many years I have had the intention to compose a substantial work for violoncello and winds.

Casanova was commissioned by the Dutch Music Foundation "Fonds voor de Scheppende Toonkunst" at the request of the symphonic band "Sint Michaël" of Thorn and it is dedicated to the band’s conductor Heinz Friesen. Soloist Roeland Duijne gave the official world premiere performance on 2 April 2000 at the Vredenburg Concert Hall in Utrecht.

-Program Note from composer

Media

Audio: Reference recording. Ensemble and conductor unknown
Audio CD: Bläserphilharmonie Südwest (Johan de Meij, conductor; Stefan Faludi, cello) - 2002
Audio CD: Johan Willem Friso Military Band (Alex Schillings, conductor; Johan van Iersel, cello) - 2000

Awards

International Composition Competition for Band in Corciano, Italy, 1999, winner

State Ratings

None discovered thus far.

Performances

To submit a performance please join The Wind Repertory Project

New York (Central Valley) Wind Symphony (Johan de Meij, conductor; Eileen Moon, cello) - 3 April 2016

Works for Winds by This Composer

African Harmony (2017)
Aladdin Suite (as arranger)
Aquarium (1991)
At Kitty O'Shea's (2011)
Beatles Collection (as arranger) (1982)
Canticles (2007)
Casanova (2000)
Celtic Classics (2016)
Ceremonial Fanfare (2005)
Chanson de Matin (as arranger) (c. 1890/1988)
Clair de lune (as arranger) (1890/1905/2017)
Cloud Factory (2011)
Continental Overture (1997)
Copacabana (as arranger)
Downtown Divertimento (2014)
Dutch Masters Suite (2008)
Echoes of San Marco (2016)
Edgar (as arranger) (1889/2008)
Extreme Make-over (2004)
Extreme Beethoven (2012)
Fellini (2015)
Festive Hymn (2007)
Fifty Shades of E (2016)
Highlights from "Riverdance" (as arranger) (1994/2014)
Highlights from the Seville Suite (as arranger) (1992/2011)
Hobbits Dance and Hymn (arr. Lavender) (1987/2006)
Honky Tonk Ragtime (as arranger) (1985)
James Bond 007 (1983/2021)
Jazz Suite No. 2 (as arranger) (post-1956/1994)
- March (as arranger) (post-1956/1994)
- Lyric Waltz (as arranger) (post-1956/1995)
- Dance I (as arranger) (post-1956/1994)
- Dance II (as arranger) (post-1956/1994)
- Waltz No. 2 (as arranger) (post-1956/1994)
- Finale (as arranger) (post-1956/1994)
Joropo (as arranger)
Jupiter Hymn (as arranger)
Klezmer Classics (2004)
La Fanciulla del West (as arranger) (1910/2008)
La Quintessenza (1990/1998)
Les Papillons (as editor)
Loch Ness (1988)
Lord of the Rings. See: Symphony No. 1
Lord of the Rings (arr. Lavender) (1987/2001)
Los Cuatro Vientos (2021)
Madurodam (1997)
March to Mars (as arranger) (1987)
Marche Americana (as editor) (1997)
A Midsummer Night's Dream (as arranger) (1826/2022)
Moment for Morricone (as arranger) (1966/1996)
Mondriaan (2021)
Musical Highlights from "Chess" (as arranger) (1993)
The Painted Bird (2021)
Pavane (as arranger) (1899/1991)
Pennsylvania Faux Songs (2018)
Phantom of the Opera (as arranger)
Polish Christmas Music, Part I (1995)
Ratatouille Satirique (as arranger) (/1994)
Romeo and Juliet (as arranger). See: Suite from the Ballet "Romeo & Juliet"
Rotterdam 1945 (2019)
Sinfonietta No. 1 (2011/2012)
Songs from the Catskills (2012)
Spring (2010)
Star Wars Saga (as arranger) (1987)
Suite for Variety Orchestra (as arranger) (post 1956/1994)
Suite from the Ballet "Romeo & Juliet" (as arranger) (1935/1990)
Summer (2013)
Symphony No. 1 (1987)
- Gandalf (The Wizard)
- Lothlorien (The Elvenwood)
- Gollum (Smeagol)
- Journey in the Dark
- Hobbits
Symphony No. 2 (1993)
Symphony No. 3 (2007)
Symphony No. 4 (2013)
Symphony No. 5 (2018)
- Ancalagon, the Black (2018)
UFO Concerto (2012)
T-Bone Concerto (1996)
Te Deum (as transcriber) (1900/2010)
Two-Bone Concerto (2016)
Teddy Trombone (as arranger)
Triptychon (2023)
Un Momento Dado (2021)
The Venetian Collection
- Empire of Light
- Magic Garden
- The Red Tower
- Voice of Space
Via Claudia (2012)
Wind in the Willows (2002)
Windy City Overture (2006)
The Witches' Sabbath (as arranger)
The Woman in White (as arranger) (2006)
The Year 2020 (2022)

Resources

De Meij, J. (2000). Casanova: For Cello and Wind Orchestra [score]. Amstel Music: Amsterdam.
Johan de Meij website Accessed 28 March 2022
Perusal score