# Happy Overtures



## MarkW (Feb 16, 2015)

Okay, it doesn't have to be an overture, but a short piece of music that brings an involuntary smile to your lips and a spring in your step. I thought of this when I heard a Tanglewood broadcast on Sunday of the overture to Beatrice and Benedick, which I've been happily playing my head ever since (my standard is Munch's BSO recording). It's clearly one of my favorites. What are pieces that affect you similarly?


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## Pugg (Aug 8, 2014)

Weber, Offenbach, Verdi and Rossini , to name a few.


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## Guest (Sep 1, 2016)

Mycenae Alpha comes to mind.


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## Meyerbeer Smith (Mar 25, 2016)

What Pugg said. Plus Donizetti, Von Suppé, Auber and Herold.


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## joen_cph (Jan 17, 2010)

"The Abduction from the Seraglio",


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## Nereffid (Feb 6, 2013)

Bernstein's _Candide_ and Adams's _Short Ride in a Fast Machine_ are the first ones I think of.


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## SiegendesLicht (Mar 4, 2012)

Two words: Die Meistersinger


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## Art Rock (Nov 28, 2009)

Malcolm Arnold - A grand grand overture.


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## jegreenwood (Dec 25, 2015)

Rossini, Figaro and Candide top the list for me. Although I had a fine time recently listening to a collection of Gilbert and Sullivan overtures. Hadn't heard them in years.


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## SixFootScowl (Oct 17, 2011)

Mendelssohn: Hebrides Overture and the overture to A Midsummer Night's Dream.


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## Alfacharger (Dec 6, 2013)

Elliot Carter's Holiday Overture always makes me smile.






As well as these...

Paine, As You Like It Overture.






Mario Castelnuovo-Tedesco A Midsummer's Night Dream.


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## GreenMamba (Oct 14, 2012)

Bernstein's Candide is probably my favorite overture and is very upbeat.


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## Pugg (Aug 8, 2014)

SiegendesLicht said:


> Two words: Die Meistersinger


 O.P did ask for happy


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## SixFootScowl (Oct 17, 2011)

Very happy overture from Mascagni: L'Amico Fritz


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## Olias (Nov 18, 2010)

Le Nozze Di Figaro and Cosi Fan Tutte. Although not an overture, just about any of Dvorak's Slavonic Dances work.


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## Pugg (Aug 8, 2014)

Weber: Aufforderung zum Tanze (Invitation to the Dance) Op. 65


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## drpraetorus (Aug 9, 2012)

Here are some suggestions. There are a ton more out there just waiting to be found and lift your spirits
Donna Diana by von Reznicek




A Night in the Tropics mvt2 by Louis Moreau Gottschalk 
(in this performance there are more percussion players than the score calls for but this is in line with Gottschalks performance practices. He toured in Latin America extensively and would invite the local muscians to play in on the stage. I just wish the orchestra was better)




The Banjo by Gottschalk. 
(This is not an easy piece. Gottschalk was Americas first iunternastional musical superstar. He used American and Creole themes in his music extensively. Although he uses Fosters "Camptown Races" as a finale for this work the two never met.)




Grand Tarantelle by Gottschalk 




Pasquinade by Gottschalk 




Toccata, Symphony #5 by Widor




Festival Overture by Shostakovich
(Shostakovich wrote this in the period of about two hours. It was written for the first major Soviet holiday after the death of Stalin. Probably his comment on the death.)




Chadwick Symphonic Sketches #1 Jubilee


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## Woodduck (Mar 17, 2014)

Whenever I make overtures to anyone I try to look happy.


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## Pugg (Aug 8, 2014)

Woodduck said:


> Whenever I make overtures to anyone I try to look happy.


Too much information .


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## superhorn (Mar 23, 2010)

The overture to the wonderful comic opera "Maskarade " by Carl Nielsen . It's pure joy and exuberance ! There is a concert ending for performance at concerts which is not found in the original version for productions of the complete opera . Either way, if this overture doesn't put a smile on your face, nothing will !


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## QuietGuy (Mar 1, 2014)

William Walton's Portsmouth Point Overture makes me smile.

I too must agree with a number of people here about Bernstein's Candide Overture. A happy piece indeed!


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## Vaneyes (May 11, 2010)

*LB* - Candide
*WAM* - The Marriage of Figaro


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## Pat Fairlea (Dec 9, 2015)

Happy overture?
Try Glinka's Russlan and Ludmilla.
Always cheers me up.


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## waldvogel (Jul 10, 2011)

Sir Arthur Sullivan's _Overture di Ballo_. Hint: It's not like the overtures to the operettas.


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## Razumovskymas (Sep 20, 2016)

Beethoven sonata no 15 makes me melancholy and happy at the same time





For full on hapyness I would go For Händels "Arrival of the queen of Sheba"


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## Classical Performances (Mar 8, 2016)

Beethoven - Egmont Overture
Suppe - Poet & Peasant Overture

and
Mozart - Le Nozze Di Figaro - Overture


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## arnerich (Aug 19, 2016)

Brahms Academic Festival Overture is a lot of fun


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## Pugg (Aug 8, 2014)

Razumovskymas said:


> Beethoven sonata no 15 makes me melancholy and happy at the same time
> 
> 
> 
> ...


Not really happy overtures, beautiful music but not overtures.


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## Abraham Lincoln (Oct 3, 2015)

Florestan said:


> Mendelssohn: Hebrides Overture and the overture to A Midsummer Night's Dream.


You beat me to it >


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## Pugg (Aug 8, 2014)

Olias said:


> Le Nozze Di Figaro and Cosi Fan Tutte. Although not an overture, just about any of Dvorak's Slavonic Dances work.


Indeed very happy overtures.


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## SixFootScowl (Oct 17, 2011)

Abraham Lincoln said:


> You beat me to it >


You and I may be the top Mendelssohn lovers on the site! How about a poll:

Who loves Mendelssohn's music the most?

1. TC member Abraham Lincoln

2. TC member Florestan

3. Someone else (please specify)


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## John T (May 5, 2016)

Rezniček's _Donna Diana_

( Too late; someone already mentioned this one. It's just not my day.  )


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## R3PL4Y (Jan 21, 2016)

Dvorak's Carnival Overture, Berlioz Le Corsaire Overture, Russian Easter is pretty happy I would say. Berlioz Roman Carnival overture is also fun, as is Gershwin's Cuban overture.


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## Pugg (Aug 8, 2014)

happy enough?


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## KenOC (Mar 7, 2011)

Pugg said:


> Emil Nikolaus von Reznicek - Donna Diana, Overture
> Happy enough?


"On, King! On, you huskies!" For those of a certain age.


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## hpowders (Dec 23, 2013)

When I think of happy overtures, Rossini always comes to mind.

Of course, there is also the sparkling Marriage of Figaro Overture by Mozart too.


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## Pugg (Aug 8, 2014)

Mozart: COSI FAN TUTTE. K.588 - OVERTURE : Karl Bohm / Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra 1974


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## hpowders (Dec 23, 2013)

The overture to Wagner's Die Meistersinger is happy and uplifting.

You might even want to hang around for 4 hours and hear what follows!


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