Grand Russian Fantasia
Jules Levy (arr. Paul de Ville)
Subtitle: Solo for cornet, piccolo, flute or baritone
This work bears the designation Universal Band Journal, 674.
General Info
Year: 1904 / 1955
Duration: c. 5:00
Difficulty: IV (see Ratings for explanation)
Publisher: Carl Fischer
Cost: Score and Parts – Out of print.
For availability information, see Discussion tab, above.
Instrumentation
Cornet Score
D-flat Piccolo
Oboe/C Clarinet
Bassoon/B-flat Bass Clarinet
E-flat Soprano Clarinet
B-flat Soprano Clarinet I-II-III
B-flat Soprano Saxophone
E-flat Alto Saxophone
B-flat Tenor Saxophone
E-flat Baritone Saxophone
B-flat Cornet I-II-III
E-flat Horn or Alto I-II-III-IV
Tenor Horn I-II
Trombone I-II-III
Euphonium
Tuba
Percussion, including:
- Bass Drum
- Gong
- Snare Drum
- Triangle
Errata
None discovered thus far.
Program Notes
Jules Levy, considered by many as the greatest cornet soloist of his era, gained his primary fame while playing with Patrick Gilmore and his band. He wrote many solos of which the Grand Russian Fantasia remains best known; cast with an opening melodic passage, the theme is followed by two variations and a Finale, a true triple tonguing tour de force.
- Program Note by Eastman Wind Ensemble
A tradition of brass playing (especially horn bands) in pre-Revolutionary Russian provided a backdrop for the enthusiastic embracing of modern brass instruments, and dazzling solo performance was inspired b the influence of foreign performers, including cornet virtuosi Jean-Baptiste Arban and Jules Levy in the 1870s. Levy, having performed with the Grenadier Guard Band, the Royal Opera House in London, the Theodore Thomas Orchestra, Fiske's Concert Band, and finally with Gilmore's Band, became one of the great showmen of the day. Levy's favorite programmed solos were of the theme-and-variations genre. Frequently performed solos with Carnival of Venice, Grand Russian Fantasia, Levyathon Polka, and his own Whirlwind Polka, made famous years earlier in his youth. This dazzling composition features an ever-increasingly challenging cornet part, and the finale features God Save the Czar, the Russian national anthem (also heard in Tchaikovsky's 1812 Overture and Marche Slav).
- Program Note from Youth Wind Symphony concert program, 15 December 2005
Media
State Ratings
None discovered thus far.
Performances
To submit a performance please join The Wind Repertory Project
- Atlanta (Ga.) Youth Wind Symphony (Scott A. Stewart, conductor; Susan Rider, cornet) – 15 December 2005 (2005 Midwest Clinic)
Works for Winds by This Composer
- Grand Russian Fantasia (arr. De Ville) (1904/1955)
- Best Shot Polka (arr. De Ville) (1908)
- Levy Athan Polka (1878)
- Lizzie Waltz (1877)
- Whirlwind Polka )1898)
Resources
- Heritage Encyclopedia of Band Music. "Jules Levy." Accessed 27 August 2022.
- Levy, J.; De Ville, P. [1904]. Grand Russian Fantasia: With Variations [score]. Carl Fischer: New York.