Prokofieff, Serge: Overture (American) op. 42 (1926) 8'
for chamber orchestra
Scoring
1.1.2.2-0.2.1.0-timp.perc:cyms/BD/SD-2harps-2pft-strings.
Abbreviations (PDF).
Territory
This work is available from Boosey & Hawkes for the world.
Repertoire Note
Prokofieff’s American Overture was composed in 1926 for the celebratory opening of the new Aeolian Hall in New York. As the hall was small, he wrote for just 17 players and an extremely unusual line-up of instruments, including two harps, two pianos, plenty of percussion and no upper strings. The music, however, is anything but small. It overflows with noisy energy and is vividly suggestive of the brashness of 1920s New York. This is a ‘Russian in New York’ overture to answer Gershwin’s ‘American in Paris’!
Note by Gerard McBurney
for chamber orchestra
Scoring
1.1.2.2-0.2.1.0-timp.perc:cyms/BD/SD-2harps-2pft-strings.
Abbreviations (PDF).
Territory
This work is available from Boosey & Hawkes for the world.
Repertoire Note
Prokofieff’s American Overture was composed in 1926 for the celebratory opening of the new Aeolian Hall in New York. As the hall was small, he wrote for just 17 players and an extremely unusual line-up of instruments, including two harps, two pianos, plenty of percussion and no upper strings. The music, however, is anything but small. It overflows with noisy energy and is vividly suggestive of the brashness of 1920s New York. This is a ‘Russian in New York’ overture to answer Gershwin’s ‘American in Paris’!
Note by Gerard McBurney
Mailing List
Sign up for news updates and offers via email
SIGN UP
Featured Publication
Britten: War Requiem
Britten's pacifist masterwork, combining war poetry by Wilfred Owen with the Latin Requiem Mass, is included in the Masterworks Library of full scores, ideal for conductors, students and music lovers.
READ MORE