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Dance of the Jesters

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Peter I. Tchaikovsky

Peter I Tchaikovsky (trans. Ray E Cramer)


General Info

Year: 1873 / 1997
Duration: c. 4:45
Difficulty: V (see Ratings for explanation)
Original Medium: Orchestra
Publisher: Curnow Music Press
Cost: Score and Parts - $129.00   |   Score Only - $25.00


Instrumentation

Full Score
Piccolo I-II
Flute I-II
Oboe I-II
Bassoon I-II
Eb Soprano Clarinet
Bb Soprano Clarinet I-II-III
Eb Alto Clarinet
Bb Bass Clarinet
Eb Contra-Alto Clarinet
Bb Contrabass Clarinet
Eb Alto Saxophone I-II
Bb Tenor Saxophone
Eb Baritone Saxophone
Bb Trumpet I-II
Bb Cornet I-II
Horn in F I-II-III-IV
Trombone I-II-II
Euphonium
Tuba
String Bass
Timpani
Percussion I-II-III

  • Bass Drum
  • Crash Cymbals
  • Snare Drum
  • Tambourine
  • Triangle
  • Xylophone


Errata

There is a missing accent on beat two in measure 349 of the tenor saxophone part.

Professor Cramer's program note from the score (copied below) erroneously attributes this music to a nonexistent ballet entitled The Snow Maidens. It is actually from incidental music to an 1873 play by Alexander Ostrovsky entitled The Snow Maiden.


Program Notes

Dance of the Jesters is a prime example of Tchaikovsky’s keen sense of musical nationalism. Originally composed as incidental music for the ballet The Snow Maidens, the dance forever captures the color and zest of Russian folk dance music. The ballet about the Snow Maiden, the daughter of Father Frost, tells of her forbidden love with a human, Misgir, who is already betrothed to Coupava. The Snow Maiden follows him southward with plans to interrupt his wedding, but tragically melts under the rays of the southern sun.

Upon meeting Nikolai Rimsky-Korsakov in 1868, Tchaikovsky renewed his keen sense of musical nationalism. Inspired by the master composer, Tchaikovsky's compositional style would forever capture the color and zest of Russian folk dance and music. The flurry, energetic drive and playful melodies associated with his ballet scores are all heard in this rare and invigorating music. This edition comes from an arrangement from the ballet The Snow Maidens that was originally transcribed for a Russian military band.

- Program Note from transcriber


Dance of the Jesters (Dance of the Buffoons) is one of the more commonly performed works from The Snow Maiden, often used as an encore in orchestral settings. In the band transcription, Cramer captures the flurry and energetic spirit of the original work with brass fanfares, playful ballet melodies, rapid woodwind and keyboard passages, along with invigorating percussion scoring which punctuates throughout.

- Program Note by Rich Pauch for the Wheaton Municipal Band concert program, 21 December 2017


Commercial Discography


Audio Links

Sample download; ensemble and conductor unknown


State Ratings

  • Alabama: Class AA
  • Indiana: ISSMA SENIOR BAND GROUP I
  • Louisiana: IV
  • Michigan: Senior High AA
  • North Carolina: VI
  • Texas: V. Complete
  • Virginia: V


Performances

To submit a performance please join The Wind Repertory Project

  • Butler University (Indianapolis, Ind.) Wind Ensemble (Michael Colburn, conductor) – 1 March 2020
  • CBDNA East Intercollegiate Band (Philadelphia, Penn.) (Elizabeth Peterson, conductor) – 22 February 2020 (CBDNA 2020 Eastern Division Conference, Philadelphia, Penn.)
  • University of Cincinnati (Ohio) College-Conservatory of Music Wind Ensemble (Thomas Gamboa, conductor) – 19 February 2020
  • University of Oregon (Eugene) Wind Ensemble (Josiah Glaser, conductor) – 12 February 2020
  • Triangle Wind Ensemble (Cary, N.C.) (Evan Feldman, conductor) – 15 December 2019
  • Ithaca (N.Y.) College Wind Ensemble (Christopher Hughes, conductor) – 12 December 2019
  • Duke University (Durham, N.C.) Wind Symphony (Verena Mösenbichler-Bryant, conductor) – 14 November 2019
  • Yolo Community Band (Woodland, Calif.) (Bobby Rogers, conductor) - 1 June 2019
  • Andrews University (Berrien Springs, Mich.) Wind Symphony (Edgar Luna, conductor) – 13 April 2019
  • United States Coast Guard Band (New London, Conn.) (Adam Williamson, conductor) – 14 April 2019
  • University of Texas (Austin) Wind Symphony (Scott Hanna, conductor) – 5 April 2019
  • University of Oklahoma (Norman) Wind Symphony (Shanti Simon, conductor) – 25 February 2019
  • CBDNA Small Band Programs Intercollegiate Band (Tempe, Ariz.) (Rodney Dorsey, conductor) – 23 February 2019 (CBDNA 2019 National Conference, Tempe, Ariz.)
  • Pacific Lutheran University (Parkland, Wash.) Wind Ensemble (Edwin Powell, conductor) – 8 February 2019
  • University of Minnesota (Minneapolis) Symphonic Band (Jerry Luckhardt, conductor) – 11 October 2018
  • University of Wisconsin-Madison Wind Ensemble (Scott Teeple, conductor) – 5 October 2018
  • The Ohio State University (Columbus) Collegiate Winds (David Hedgecoth, conductor) – 4 October 2018
  • Syracuse University (NY) Wind Ensemble (Bradley P. Ethington, conductor) - 19 April 2018
  • Brigham Young University (Provo, Utah) Wind Symphony (Don L. Peterson, conductor) – 13 April 2018


Works for Winds by this Composer


References

  • Tchaikovsky, P.; Cramer, R. (1997). Dance of the Jesters [score]. Curnow Music Press: Wilmore, KY.
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