Overture to "Nabucco" (tr Cailliet)

Giuseppe Verdi

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General Info

Year: 1841 / 1959
Duration: c. 8:30
Difficulty: V (see Ratings for explanation)
Original Medium: Orchestra
Publisher: Sam Fox
Cost: Score and Parts – Out of print

For availability information, see Discussion tab, above.

Instrumentation

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

(percussion detail desired)

Errata

None discovered thus far.

Program Notes

Nabucco is an Italian-language opera in four acts composed in 1841 by Giuseppe Verdi to an Italian libretto by Temistocle Solera. The libretto is based on biblical stories from the Book of Jeremiah and the Book of Daniel and the 1836 play by Auguste Anicet-Bourgeois and Francis Cornue Under its original name of Nabucodonosor, the opera was first performed at La Scala in Milan on 9 March 1842.

Nabucco is the opera which is considered to have permanently established Verdi's reputation as a composer. He commented that "this is the opera with which my artistic career really begins. And though I had many difficulties to fight against, it is certain that Nabucco was born under a lucky star".

It follows the plight of the Jews as they are assaulted, conquered and subsequently exiled from their homeland by the Babylonian King Nabucco (in English, Nebuchadnezzar II). The historical events are used as background for a romantic and political plot. The best-known number from the opera is the Chorus of the Hebrew Slaves, Va, pensiero, sull'ali dorate / "Fly, thought, on golden wings", a chorus which is regularly given an encore in many opera houses when performed today.

- Program Note from Wikipedia

Melodies in the overture depict Verdi's affinity for fleeting tunes that seem to leave an indelible impression on the listener. The crescendo employed here, which builds over lengthy spaces, became known as the "Rossini Crescendo" and was a popular device of opera composers of the period.

- Program Note from Program Notes for Band

Commercial Discography

Audio CD: Texas A&M Uniersity Symphonic Band (Timothy Rhea, conductor) - 2011

State Ratings

Alabama: Class A
Arkansas: IV
Kansas: V
North Carolina: VI
Tennessee: V
Virginia: V

Performances

To submit a performance please join The Wind Repertory Project

Minnesota State Band (St. Paul) (Keith Liuzzi, conductor) – 31 March 2017
Metea Valley High School (Aurora, Ill.) Wind Ensemble – 27 October 2015

Works for Winds by This Composer

Ah! Fors e lui - Sempre Libera from "La Traviata" (arr. Barrow) (1973)
Aïda: Prelude (arr. Hautvast) (/2010)
Anvil Chorus (tr. McAlister and Graham) (1853/2008)
Ave Maria volgarizzata da Dante (arr. Hartman) (1880/2019)
Ballabili (arr. Wil van der Beek) (1847/1865/1997)
Bolero from "The Sicilian Vespers" (tr. Sousa) (1855)
Di Quella pira (arr. Hanna) (1853/)
Excerpts from "Manzoni Requiem" (arr. Mollenhauer) (1869/1874/1965)
Fanfare from "Requiem" (arr. Decker) (1874/1989)
Il Balen del Suo Sorriso from "Il Trovatore" (arr. Brittain) (2009)
La Battaglia di Legnano (arr. Kalischnig) (1986)
March from "Aida" (arr. Seredy) (1871/1898/1964)
Nabucco (tr. Saurer) (1841/2004)
Nabucco Overture (tr. Cailliet) (1842/1959)
Overture to "Joan of Arc" (arr. Rollinson) (1845/1902)
Overture to "La Forza del Destino" (arr. Lake) (1862)
Overture to "La Forza del Destino" (arr. Odom) (1862)
Overture to "La Forza del Destino" (arr. Patterson) (1862/2012)
Overture to "La Forza del Destino" (arr. Rogers) (1862/1980)
Overture: "La Forza del Destino" (arr. Suzuki) (1862/2017)
Overture to "Luisa Miller" (arr. Pruyn) (1849/1988)
Overture to "Nabucco" (tr. Cailliet) (1841/1959)
Overture to "Nabucco" (arr. Rhea) (1841)
Prelude to Act I of "La Traviata" (ed. Falcone) (1853/1966)
Rigoletto-Fantasie (arr. Goldhammer) (1851/2002)
Triumphal March from "Aida" (arr. Evžen Zámečník) (1871)
Triumphal March from "Aida" (arr. McAlister; ed. Reed) (1871)
Triumphal March from "Aida" (arr. Richard) (1871/2012)

Resources

Nabucco, Wikipedia. Accessed 17 October 2020
Smith, Norman E. (2002). Program Notes for Band. Chicago: GIA Publications, pp. 610.
Verdi, G.; Cailliet, L. (1959). Nabucco: Overture [score]. San Fox Pub. Co.: New York.