OVERTURE TO CANDIDE (Louisiana All State Band)
THIS IS THE OVERTURE TO LEONARD BERNSTEIN'S OPERETTA 'CANDIDE' WRITTEN IN 1956. THE OPERETTA NEVER ACHIEVED MAINSTREAM POPULARITY BUT THE OVERTURE HAS EARNED A PART IN THE ORCHESTRAL REPERTOIRE. THIS IS PERFORMED BY THE 1968 LOUISIANA ALL STATE BAND.
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Story behind the song
The Overture to Leonard Bernstein's operetta Candide. Although the operetta never achieved the mainstream popularity of West Side Story, the overture has earned a part in the orchestral repertoire. Since its first concert performance on January 26, 1957, by the New York Philharmonic under the composer's baton, the Overture to Candide has become one of the most frequently performed orchestral compositions by a 20th century American composer.
While many orchestrations of the overture exist, in its current incarnation for full symphony orchestra, which incorporates changes made by Bernstein during performances in December 1989, the piece requires a standard-sized contemporary orchestra of piccolo, two flutes, two oboes, an E-flat and two B-flat clarinets, bass clarinet, two bassoons, contrabassoon, four horns, two trumpets, three trombones, tuba, timpani, a large but standard percussion contingent, harp, and a standard string section. It is approximately four and a half minutes long. The theatre-sized orchestration, as in the published full score of the operetta, includes one flute doubling on piccolo, one oboe, two clarinets rotating between an E-flat, B-flat, and bass, one bassoon, two horns, two trumpets, two trombones, one tuba, standard orchestral percussion, harp, and strings. Main differences between the two are doublings and increased use of percussion effects (especially the addition of a drum roll during the opening fanfares) in the symphony orchestral arrangement. Differences between the first publication and later printings (of both orchestrations) include a slowed opening tempo (half note equal 132 instead of 152). An arrangement for standard wind ensemble also exists.