# The Curtain Rises



## itywltmt (May 29, 2011)

En français








To start the New Year, I put together a playlist of *concert overtures* - that is, overtures meant for concerts and not overtures from stage works. There are, of course, plenty to choose from, and the ones I chose span a large arrays of composers of the 19th and 20th centuries.

My first choice is by *Franz von Suppé*, who is best remembered for his operetta overtures. He composed a number of Viennese-themed concert pieces and this _Viennese Jubilation_ overure is in-keeping with the long-standing musical tradition of the New Year in Vienna.

*Johannes Brahms* is a composer I will be blogging a lot about this month here and on my _Friday blog_, and the _Tragic __overture _is one of two of his concert overtures (the other, the _Academic Festivals_, is scheduled for my *Friday post of January 11th*).

*Felix Mendelssohn* wrote several concert overtures, and this youthful _trumpet _overture sets the groundwork for the _Fair Medusa _and C_alm Sea abd Prosperous Voyage_. *Berlioz*'s _Le Corsaire _is one of his many overtures for stage and concert, and probably his most colourful (save, maybe, for _Carnaval Romain_).

*Elgar*'s _Cockaigne _and *Gershwin*'s _Cuban _overtures were written a few decades apart, but they shine with their brilliant use of the orchestra to tell a story: that of a mythical London and the exotic travels in the Cartibbean.

To close, I chose the _1812 Overture_ *with full chorus*. Seldom heard in concert in this form, the overture gains more of its solemn intent with the addition of the short accapella preamble and the choral outbursts that announce the long coda.

Happy listening - and happy New Year!

*PLAYLIST*​
*Franz von SUPPÉ (1819-1895)*
_Wiener Jubelouvertüre_ (Viennese Jubilation Overture)
Christian Pollack conducts the East Slovakian Philharmonic Kosice

*Johannes BRAHMS (1833-1897)*
_Tragische Ouvertür_e (Tragic Overture) in D Minor, op. 81
Sir Colin Davis conducts the European Union Youth Orchestra

*Felix MENDELSSOHN-BARTHOLDY (1809-1847)*
Overture in C Major ('Trumpet'), op. 101
Francesco d'Avalos conducts the Philarmonia Orchestra

*Sir Edward ELGAR (1857-1934)*
Cockaign Overture (In London Town), op. 40
Sir Alexander Gibson conducts the Royal Scottish National Orchestra

*Hector BERLIOZ (1803-1869)*
Overture "Le Corsaire" ("The Corsair"), Op. 21, H 101
Lionel Bringuier conducts the BBC Symphony Orchestra

*George GERSHWIN (1898-1937)*
_Cuban Overture_ ( 1932)
Jeff Tyzik conducts the Rochester Philharmonic Orchestra

*Pyotr Ilich TCHAIKOVSKY (1840-1893)*
1812 Festival Overture, in E Flat Major, op. 49
(Version for Orchestra, Choir, Organ, War Canons and Bells)
Eugene Ormandy. conducts the Philadelphia Orchestra, Mormon Tabernacle Choir. Canons from Valley Forge Military Academy Band.

YouTube URL: http://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL6swnss9F7SG1lowaP21AP-Vh0KgMjNpL

*January 4th 2013, "I Think You Will Love This Music Too" will feature a new podcast "Btahms Festival, Part 1" at its Pod-O-Matic Channel. Read more January 4 on the ITYWLTMT Blogspot blog.*


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