Overture to "The Pearl Fishers"

Georges Bizet

General Info

Year: 1863 / 1956
Duration: c. 7:40
Difficulty: IV (see Ratings for explanation)
Original Medium: Orchestra
Publisher: Sam Fox
Cost: Score and Parts (print) - $75.00 | Score Only (print) - $10.00

For availability information, see Discussion tab, above.

Instrumentation

Full Score
C Piccolo
D-flat Piccolo
Flute I-II
Oboe I-II
Bassoon I-II
E-flat Soprano Clarinet
B-flat Soprano Clarinet I-II-III
E-flat Alto Clarinet
B-flat Bass 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 I-II
B-flat Flugelhorn I-II
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 (4 players), including:

Bass Drum
Crash Cymbals
Snare Drum
Suspended Cymbal
Xylophone

Errata

None discovered thus far.

Program Notes

Les pêcheurs de perles (The Pearl Fishers) is an opera in three acts by the French composer Georges Bizet, to a libretto by Eugène Cormon and Michel Carré. It was first performed on 30 September 1863 at the Théâtre Lyrique in Paris, and was given 18 performances in its initial run.

Set in ancient times on the island of Ceylon, the opera tells the story of how two men's vow of eternal friendship is threatened by their love for the same woman, whose own dilemma is the conflict between secular love and her sacred oath as a priestess. The friendship duet Au fond du temple saint, generally known as The Pearl Fishers Duet, is one of the best-known numbers in Western opera.

- Program Note from Wikipedia

Media

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

State Ratings

Alabama: Class BB
Florida: IV
Georgia: V
Indiana: ISSMA SENIOR BAND GROUP II
Kansas: IV
Maryland: IV
Michigan: Senior High B
North Carolina: VI
South Carolina: V
Tennessee: IV

Performances

To submit a performance please join The Wind Repertory Project

Kentucky Virginia (Whitesburg, Ky.) Summer Winds (Jason Griffith, conductor) - 18 May 2021
Los Alamos (N.M.) Community Winds (Ted Vives, conductor) – 19 October 2019
Mid America Freedom Band (Kansas City, Mo.) (Ian Bradt, conductor) – 16 October 2016
Virginia Music Educators Association District X All-District Symphonic Honor Band (John Casagrande, conductor) – 4 February 2012

Works for Winds by This Composer

Adaptable Music

Carmen Fantasy (Flex instrumentation) (arr. Park) (1875/2017)
Children's Chorus from "Carmen Suite" (Adaptable Band) (arr. Fisher) (1875/2017)
Farandole from L'Arlésienne Suite No.2 (Flex instrumentation) (arr. Kataoka) (1872/2014)
Habañera (Flex instrumentation) (arr. Stanton) (19875/2016)

All Wind Works

Adagietto (Brass Quintet) (arr. Hautvast)
Adagietto (Clarinet Quartet) (arr. Hautvast)
Adagietto (Saxophone Quartet) (arr. Hautvast)
Adagietto (Woodwind Quartet) (arr. Hautvast)
Adagio from Bizet Symphony (arr. Brand)
Andante (arr. Van Der Beek)
Au fond du temple saint (arr. Johnson) (1863/2017)
Carmen (tr. McAlister; ed. Reed) (1875/2000)
A Carmen Celebration (arr. Cacavas) (1875/2010)
Carmen Fantasia (arr. Hunsberger) (1875/2004)
Carmen Fantasy (arr. Ito) (1875/2009)
Carmen Fantasy (arr. Sostac) (1875/2011)
Carmen Fantasy (Flex instrumentation) (arr. Park) (1875/2017)
Carmen Fantasy (arr. Suzuki) (1875/2001)
Carmen Fantasy (arr. Tobani and Kent) (1875/1947)
Carmen: Habanera (arr. Zugrov) (1875/2015)
Carmen Highlights (arr. Williams) (1875)
Carmen Suite (arr. Bullock) (1875/1983)
Carmen Suite (arr. Guirard; tr. Buckley) (1875/2018)
Carmen Suite (arr. Holcombe and Holcombe Jr.) (1875/1998)
Carmen Suite (arr. Sheen) (1875/1991)
Carment Suite I (arr. Laughlin) (1875/2020)
Carmen Suite II (arr. Laughlin) (1875/2020)
Carmen Symphony (tr. Serebrier; ed. Patterson) (1875)
Children's Chorus from "Carmen Suite" (Adaptable Band) (arr. Fisher) (1875/2017)
Duet from "The Pearl Fishers" (arr. de Meij) (1875/2016)
Farandole (arr. Bocook) (1872/2002)
Farandole (1872/1988)
Farandole (arr. Daehn) (1872)
Farandole (arr. Iasilli) (1872/1936)
Farandole from L'Arlésienne Suite No.2 (Flex instrumentation) (arr. Kataoka) (1872/2014)
Farandole (arr. Schaefer) (1872)
Farandole (arr. Longfield) (1872/1993)
Flower Song from “Carmen” (arr. Harding) (1875)
Gypsy Dance (arr. Reed) (1872/1997)
Habañera (Flex instrumentation) (arr. Stanton) (19875/2016)
Habañera from "Carmen" (trans. Odom) (1875)
Jeux d'enfants (arr. Di Scala)
Intermezzo (arr. Sharp) (1875/2002)
L’Arlésienne Suite No. 1 (arr. Finck) (1932)
L’Arlésienne Suite No. 1 (arr. Laurendeau) (1905)
L’Arlésienne Suite No. 2 (arr. Finck; tr. Duthoit) (1872/1932)
L’Arlésienne Suite No 2 (tr. C. Godfrey; ed. McAlister and Reed) (1872/2002)
L’Arlésienne Suite No. 2 (arr. Sorlin) (1872/2005)
Minisuite from Carmen (arr. Marlatt) (1875)
Minuet from "L’Arlésienne Suite" (arr. Walko) (1872/)
Music from Carmen (arr. Saucedo) (1875)
Open Thy Heart (arr. Glover) (1859/2014)
Overture to "The Pearl Fishers" (arr. Cailliet) (1863/1956)
Pastorale and Intermezzo (arr. Lake) (1924)
Petite Suite: Jeux d'Enfants (arr. Brand) (1871/1999)
Selections from Bizet’s Carmen
Selections from "Carmen" (arr. Dunnigan) (1875/2021)
Selections from "Carmen" (arr. Musser) (1875/1941)
Selections from "Carmen" (arr. Safranek) (1875/1912)
Selections from "Carmen" (arr. Sharp) (1875)
Selections from "The Pearl Fishers" (arr. Lake) (1875/1921)
Suite: Jeux d'Enfants (arr. Brand). See: Petite Suite: Jeux d'Enfants
Suite from "Carmen" (arr. Curnow) (1875)
Suite from "Carmen" (arr. D. Godfrey) (1875/1915)
Toreador Song (arr. Barnes) (1875/1988)
Toreador Song (arr. Barrow) (1875/1976)
Two Bizet Pieces (arr. Frackenpohl)
Votre Toast (arr. Cray) (1875)

Resources

Bizet, G.; Cailliet, L. (1956). The Pearl Fishers: Overture [score]. San Fox: New York.
Girsberger, Russ. Percussion Assignments for Band & Wind Ensemble. Volume I: A-K. Galesburg, MD: Meredith Music Publications, 2004, 45. Print.
Heritage Encyclopedia of Band Music. "Georges Bizet." Accessed 20 October 2019
Les pêcheurs de perles, Wikipedia Accessed 20 October 2019
Smith, Norman E. (2002). Program Notes for Band. Chicago: GIA Publications, pp. 70.