Overture to an Italian Comedy
Encyclopedia
The Overture to an Italian Comedy for orchestra
was composed in 1936 by Australia
n composer Arthur Benjamin
; it was first performed in London
on 2 March 1937, under the direction of Gordon Jacob
.
The piece opens fortissimo
, presenting its first main subject in the woodwinds against pizzicato
strings and creating a lively mood. The second theme is much softer, and is presented by a solo horn
. Following this is a gayer melody for two flute
s playing in thirds; this is soon taken up by the trumpet
s, who are instructed in the score to play in a "vulgar" manner. The opening subject returns, followed again by the "vulgar" theme, and the work ends in spirited fashion.
The overture does not appear to have been inspired by any one piece. The published score is subtitled, "Sorry you've been troubled".
Orchestra
An orchestra is a sizable instrumental ensemble that contains sections of string, brass, woodwind, and percussion instruments. The term orchestra derives from the Greek ορχήστρα, the name for the area in front of an ancient Greek stage reserved for the Greek chorus...
was composed in 1936 by Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
n composer Arthur Benjamin
Arthur Benjamin
Arthur Leslie Benjamin was an Australian composer, pianist, conductor and teacher. He is best known as the composer of Jamaican Rhumba, composed in 1938.-Biography:...
; it was first performed in London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
on 2 March 1937, under the direction of Gordon Jacob
Gordon Jacob
Gordon Percival Septimus Jacob was an English composer. He is known for his wind instrument composition and his instructional writings.-Life:...
.
The piece opens fortissimo
Dynamics (music)
In music, dynamics normally refers to the volume of a sound or note, but can also refer to every aspect of the execution of a given piece, either stylistic or functional . The term is also applied to the written or printed musical notation used to indicate dynamics...
, presenting its first main subject in the woodwinds against pizzicato
Pizzicato
Pizzicato is a playing technique that involves plucking the strings of a string instrument. The exact technique varies somewhat depending on the type of stringed instrument....
strings and creating a lively mood. The second theme is much softer, and is presented by a solo horn
Horn (instrument)
The horn is a brass instrument consisting of about of tubing wrapped into a coil with a flared bell. A musician who plays the horn is called a horn player ....
. Following this is a gayer melody for two flute
Flute
The flute is a musical instrument of the woodwind family. Unlike woodwind instruments with reeds, a flute is an aerophone or reedless wind instrument that produces its sound from the flow of air across an opening...
s playing in thirds; this is soon taken up by the trumpet
Trumpet
The trumpet is the musical instrument with the highest register in the brass family. Trumpets are among the oldest musical instruments, dating back to at least 1500 BCE. They are played by blowing air through closed lips, producing a "buzzing" sound which starts a standing wave vibration in the air...
s, who are instructed in the score to play in a "vulgar" manner. The opening subject returns, followed again by the "vulgar" theme, and the work ends in spirited fashion.
The overture does not appear to have been inspired by any one piece. The published score is subtitled, "Sorry you've been troubled".