Ouverture du Carnaval Romain

Hector Berlioz

General Info

Year: 1838 / 1844 / 2013
Duration: c. 10:00
Difficulty: V (see Ratings for explanation)
Original Medium: Symphony
Publisher: Jacco Nefs
Cost: Score and Parts (print) - $140.00

Instrumentation

Full Score
C Piccolo
Flute I-II
Oboe I-II
English Horn
Bassoon I-II
E-flat Soprano Clarinet
Solo B-flat Soprano Clarinet I-II
B-flat Soprano Clarinet I-II-III
B-flat Bass Clarinet
E-flat Alto Saxophone I-II
B-flat Tenor Saxophone
E-flat Baritone Saxophone
B-flat Cornet I-II
B-flat Trumpet I-II
Horn in F I-II-III-IV
Trombone I-II-III
Euphonium
Tuba
String Bass
Timpani
Percussion, including:

Crash Cymbals
Snare Drum
Triangle

Errata

None discovered thus far.

Program Notes

This overture is based on themes taken from Berlioz's unsuccessful opera Benvenuto Cellini (1838). The opening salterello (fast Italian dance) from act two and Cellini's andante love theme from act one are two of the prominently featured melodies. The overture was premiered in Paris in 1844, with Berlioz conducting, and so pleased the crowd it had to be repeated. It is still very popular.

- Program Note from Program Notes for Band

The overture is a stand-alone concert piece for symphony orchestra but is made up of material and themes from Berlioz's first opera, the technically challenging and rarely performed Benvenuto Cellini. The opera on which this overture is based was born of inspiration garnered from two years of study in Italy. This sojourn was a result of Berlioz's winning the prestigious Prix de Rome, a French scholarship for students of the arts, including categories in painting, sculpture, architecture, engraving, and musical composition. The prize included a five-year stipend and required the winner to spend two years studying in Italy. It is our good fortune that Berlioz took the lovely melodies of the opera and made a condensed version of sorts in the Le carnival romain, else some very lovely melodies might be lost to obscurity.

- Program Note by Matthew Cohen for Open Call

Le carnaval romain, ouverture pour orchestre (Roman Carnival Overture), Op. 9, was composed in 1844 and first performed at the Salle Herz, Paris, on 3 February 1844. A stand-alone overture intended for concert performance, made up of material and themes from Berlioz's opera Benvenuto Cellini, including some music from the opera's carnival scene – hence the overture's title. It is scored for large orchestra, is in the key of A major, and features a prominent and famous solo for the cor anglais.

- Program Note from Wikipedia

Media

(Needed - please join the WRP if you can help.)

State Ratings

None discovered thus far.

Performances

To submit a performance please join The Wind Repertory Project

Works for Winds by This Composer

Apothéose from "Grande Symphonie Funèbre et Triomphale" (tr. McMahan) (1840/2014)
A Ball. See: Un Bal
Benvenut Cellini (arr. Henning) (1937)
Overture to "Béatrice et Bénédict" (trans. Henning) (1862/1937)
Damnation of Faust (arr. Smith) (1957)
Dream of a Witches' Sabbath (tr. Patterson) (1830)
Dream of a Witches' Sabbath from "Symphonie Fantastique" (arr. Rogers) (1830/1995)
Le Carnaval Romain (arr. Van Grevenbroek) (1844/?)
Le Carnaval Romain (arr. Van Mever) (1844/1961)
Le Corsaire (tr. Schuller) (1856/1971)
Le Corsaire Overture (tr. Beeler) (1856/)
Les Francs-juges, Opus 3 (arr. Knox)
Grande Symphonie Funèbre et Triomphale (1840)
Grande Symphonie Funèbre et Triomphale (ed. Dondeyne) (1840)
Grande Symphonie Funèbre et Triomphale (ed. Elkus) (1840)
Grande Symphonie Funèbre et Triomphale (tr. Inkster) (1840/2015)
Grande Symphonie Funèbre et Triomphale (arr. Whitwell) (1840/1973)
March to the Scaffold (arr. Brown and Foulds) (1830/1937)
March to the Scaffold (arr. Custer) (1830/1996)
March to the Scaffold (tr. Gardner) (1830/1963)
March to the Scaffold (tr. Leidzén) (1830/1937)
March to the Scaffold from "Symphonie Fantastique" (tr. Patterson) (1830/2005)
March to the Scaffold from "Symphonie Fantastique" (tr. Rogers) (1830/1995)
Marche Hongroise (arr. Goto) (1820/1846/1986)
Marche Hongroise (arr. Smith) (1820/1846/1961)
Ouverture du Carnaval Romain (tr. Nefs) (1838/1844/2013)
Rakoczy March. See: Marche Hongroise
Roman Carnival Overture (arr. Godfrey) (1838/1844/1962)
Roman Carnival Overture (tr. Kreines) (1838/1844/)
Roman Carnival Overture (arr. Van Grevenbroek). See: Le Carnaval Romain
Roman Carnival Overture (arr. Van Mever). See: Le Carnaval Romain
Roman Carnival Overture (tr. Nefs). See: Ouverture du Carnaval Romain
Roman Carnival Overture (tr. Patterson) (1838/1844/)
Roman Carnival Overture (arr. Safranek) (1838/1844/1962)
Roman Carnival Overture (arr. Singleton) (1838/1844/2000)
Royal Hunt and Storm (arr. Boyd) (1966)
Scaff! (arr. Wheeler) (2016)
Suite from "Symphonie Fantastique" (arr. Story) (1830/2016)
Symphonie Fantastique (arr. Foulds) (1830/1937)
Symphonie Fantastique (tr. Parès) (1830/)
Symphonie Fantastique: IV. March to the Scaffold (tr. VanDoren) (1830/2021)
Symphonie Fantastique (arr. Yodo) (1830)
Trojan March (arr. Erickson) (1971)
Un Bal (arr. Rogers) (1830/1995)

Resources

Jacco Nefs, personal correspondence, January 2020
Open Call, KCET Accessed 24 January 2016
Overtures by Hector Berlioz, Wikipedia. Accessed 3 October 2020
Smith, Norman E. (2002). Program Notes for Band. Chicago: GIA Publications, pp. 62.