Dolly Suite

Gabriel Fauré

Gabriel Fauré (trans. Henri Rabaud; arr. David C. Woodley)

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This work bears the designation Opus 56.

General Info

Year: 1893-1896 / 2013
Duration: c.18:00
Difficulty: (see Ratings for explanation)
Original Medium: Piano duet
Publisher: Unknown
Cost: Score and Parts - Unknown

Movements

1. Berceuse
2. Mi-A-Ou
3. Le Jardin de Dolly
4. Kitty-Valse
5. Tendresse
6. Le Pas Espagnol

Instrumentation

Full Score
Flute I-II
Oboe I-II
Bassoon I-II
E-flat Soprano Clarinet
B-flat Soprano Saxophone
E-flat Alto Saxophone I-II
B-flat Tenor Saxophone
E-flat Baritone Saxophone
B-flat Trumpet I-II
Horn in F I-II-III
Trombone I-II
String Bass
Harp
Timpani
Percussion, including:

• Crash Cymbals
• Tambourine
• Triangle

Errata

None discovered thus far.

Program Notes

Of the original Dolly Suite, pianist Serene Yu wrote:

Gabriel Faure dedicated the six pieces that make up the Dolly Suite to Emma Bardac’s daughter Helene (nicknamed ‘Dolly’).

Although he dedicated the entire work to Dolly, No. 1, Berceuse was an old work that Fauré had composed in 1864, during his studies. Upon Dolly’s birth almost three decades later, Fauré made several changes to create the current Berceuse for Dolly’s first birthday.

Similar to Berceuse, Fauré referred to other music again with movement 3, Le Jardin de Dolly. The movement contains a phrase from his first violin sonata. In this movement, Faure sought to portray the garden of the Bardac family as seen in the ever-changing harmonies. This movement was given to Dolly as a gift for New Year's Day, 1895.

The final movement, Le Pas Espagnol, was inspired by a bronze equestrian statue that Dolly loved. Like other French composers at the time, Fauré had a fascination with Spanish culture, as seen in the exhilarating grand finale.

This setting was completed by former professor of music at Indiana University, David C. Woodley. Though most known for his time with the Marching Hundred and IU athletic bands, Professor Woodley was also a very active arranger and transcriber of concert music and a frequent conductor of the Indiana University Concert Band. This transcription was the last arrangement “Colonel” had shared with me before he passed away on May 21, 2022.

- Program Note by Tiffany Galus and Serene Yu

The Dolly Suite, Op. 56, is a collection of pieces for piano duet by Gabriel Fauré. It consists of six short pieces written or revised between 1893 and 1896, to mark the birthdays and other events in the life of the daughter of the composer's mistress, Emma Bardac.

An orchestral version of the suite was scored in 1906 by Henri Rabaud, and has, like the original piano duet version, been the subject of many recordings. The best-known section of the suite, the Berceuse, has been arranged for several combinations of instruments. In the United Kingdom it became famous as the play-out tune to the BBC radio programme Listen with Mother.

The suite, consisting of six short pieces, each with its own title: Berceuse, Mi-a-ou, Le jardin de Dolly, Kitty-valse, Tendresse, and Le pas espagnol. The complete suite takes about fifteen minutes to perform.

- Program Note from Wikipedia

Media

None discovered thus far.

State Ratings

None discovered thus far.

Performances

To submit a performance please join The Wind Repertory Project

• Indiana University (Bloomington) Concert Band (Tiffany J. Galus, conductor) - 15 September 2022
• Indiana University (Bloomington) Wind Ensemble Chamber Winds (Stephen W. Pratt, conductor) – 9 April 2013

Works for Winds by this Composer

• Apres un Reve
• Cantique de Jean Racine (arr. Musgrave) (1865/2009)
• Cantique de Jean Racine (arr. Suzuki) (1865/2000)
• Chant Funéraire (orch. Moss) (1921/2004)
• Dolly Op 56 (arr. Matsushiro) (1894-1897)
• Dolly Suite (set. Woodley) (1894-1897/<2013)
• Fantasie (tr. Hudson) (1898/)
• Fantasie for Flute and Thirteen Winds (arr. LaBauve) (1898/)
• Pavane (arr. Brand) (1887/1999)
• Pavane (arr. Gardner) (1887)
• Pavane (arr. Hannah) (1887/)
• Pavane in G minor (arr. Dunnigan) (1887/2020)
• Pavane, Op. 50 (arr. Clark) (1887/1999)
• Pelleas et Melisande
• Pie Jesu (arr. Friedman) (1887-1890/1977)
• Pie Jesu (arr. Grevenbroek) (1887-1890/2012)
• Pie Jesu (arr. Lloyd Webber and Sudduth) (1887-1890/1990)
• Sicilienne (arr. Clark) (1893/1898/2009)
• Tuscan Serenade (arr. Grainger) (1865/1937/1994)

Resources

• "Concert Band Program Notes Sept 15, 2022." Bands and Wind Conducting. Indiana University Bloomington. 15 September 2022. Accessed 17 September 2022
• Dolly (Fauré). Wikipedia. Accessed 17 September 2022
• Tiffany Galus, personal correspondence, October 2022