Porto de Saudades

Nelson Jesus

Subtitle: Portuguese Rhapsody No. 1 for Symphonic Band, Opus 20

This work bears the designation Opus 20.

General Info

Year: 2015
Duration: c. 16:00
Difficulty: V (see Ratings for explanation)
Publisher: Molenaar Edition
Cost: Score and Parts (print) - €185.50 | Score Only (print) - €37.10

Movements (played without pause)

1. Fado Menor do Porto
2. Moda do Entrudo
3. Valsa Antiga
4. Cava Vinha Malhão
5. Palacio de Cristal
6. Clérigos
7. Vinho do Porto
8. Fado Meno (reprise)
9. Finale

Instrumentation

Full Score
C Piccolo
Flute I-II
Oboe I-II
Bassoon I-II
E-flat Soprano Clarinet
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-III
B-flat Trumpet I-II
Horn in F I-II-III-IV
Trombone I-II-III
Euphonium I-II
Tuba
String Bass
Piano
Timpani
Percussion I-II-III-IV, including:

Adufe (Moorish square tambourine)
Anvil
Bass Drum
Castanets
Cowbell
Crash Cymbals
Field Drum
Finger Cymbals
Frustra (Slapstick)
Glockenspiel
Sleigh Bells
Snare Drum
Suspended Cymbal
Tambourine
Tam-tam
Triangle
Tubular Bells
Vibraphone
Wind Chimes
Xylophone

Players singing

Errata

None discovered thus far.

Program Notes

Built as a rhapsodic suite in the style of the great band composers from the early XX century (also nationalists and proud of their folk music), this piece has nine small connected parts in a free form, juxtaposing the popular themes with original ones, the folk flavours versus abstract chamber music, orchestral and solo parts. Like a symphonic poem, it describes some situations and quotations of Oporto. Here the word Porto refers both to the city and to the harbour, literally a sheltered place.

- Program Note from publisher

Awards

Banda Sinfónica Portuguesa, 2016, 2nd prize.

Media

Audio: Reference recording. Banda Sinfónica Portuguesa (Francisco Ferreira, conductor)
Audio CD: Banda Sinfónica Portuguesa (Francisco Ferreira, conductor)

State Ratings

None discovered thus far.

Performances

To submit a performance please join The Wind Repertory Project

Royal Northern College of Music (Manchester) Wind Orchestra – 3 March 2022
Tel-Aviv (Israel) University Wind Orchestra (Uri Reisner, conductor) - 16 July 2019
Banda Sinfonica Portuguesa (Porto) (Francisco Ferreira, conductor) – 21 July 2017 - WASBE Conference (Utrecht, Netherlands)

Works for Winds by This Composer

Adaptable Music

Modal Variations (Flex instrumentation) (2015/2020)

All Wind Works

Classband Suite (2015)
Concertino for Bass Drum and Symphonic Band (2013)
Fantasia Infantil (2004)
Feira de Maio (2013)
Marchas de Arraial (2008/2010)
Modal Variations (Flex instrumentation) (2015/2020)
Porno (Sax) Concerto (2016)
Porto de Saudades (2015)
Reticência (2005)
Variações Modais. See: Modal Variations
Wolf Tears (2017)
Zamora 1143 (2016)

Resources

Perusal score
"PORTO DE SAUDADES Portuguese Rhapsody No.1 for Symphonic Band, Op.20 by Nelson Jesus (Portugal, 1986)." WASBE. Web. (Featured as WASBE’s Composition of the Week, 4 July 2022). Accessed 6 January 2023