Toccata from the opera L'Orfeo (07) Claudio Monteverdi (Italian 1567 - ) Text at top of score: "Toccata che si suona avanti il levar de la tela tre volte con tutti li stromenti e si fa un Tuono più alto volendo sonar le trombe con le sordine" Free translation: "Play the Toccata three times; on the rising of the curtain use all instruments If you favor a higher pitch use trumpets ith mutes"
The Composer: Claudio Monteverdi as born in Cremona in Nothern Italy He rote is first published music at age 15 He as first employed as a court singer string player and conductor He married at age 2 but his ife died8 years later leaving him ith three children At 6 he became conductor at the famed San Marco Bascilica in Venice and as ordained as a Catholic priest hen 65 years old He died in Venice at age 76 Monteverdi's ork often regarded as revolutionary marked the transition from the music of the Renaissance to that of the Baroque Enjoying fame in his lifetime he rote one of the earliest operas L'Orfeo hich is still regularly performed The Composition: Synopsis of L'Orfeo: The action is based on the ancient Greek myth of Orpheus ho attempts to rescue his dead lover Eurydice from Hades the underorld Prologue - The opera begins ith a dramatic toccata for brass and percussion La Musica (a "Spirit of Music") explains the poer of music and specifically the poer of Orfeo (Orpheus) hose music is so poerful that it is capable of moving the gods themselves Act 1 - Orfeo and Eurydice celebrate their edding day ith singing and dances Act 2 - The act starts ith Orfeo nymphs and shepherds in continued celebration A messenger arrives telling Orfeo that Eurydice has been bitten by a treacherous snake and died; he resolves to go don to the underorld himself to rescue her Act - Hope accompanies Orfeo to the entrance to Hades here she can go no further Orfeo meets Caronte (Charon) the guardian of Hades and attempts to trick him into letting him pass ith the beauty of his singing nsuccessful he tries again this time using his lyre and Caronte falls peacefully asleep hile Orfeo passes and descends into Hades Act - Proserpina the queen of Hades is moved by Orfeo's music and persuades Pluto king of Hades to let Eurydice go Pluto acquiesces on one condition: that Orfeo not look back as Eurydice follos him into the light and back to life on Earth Orfeo begins his ascent from Hades singing in praise of his lyre ith Eurydice folloing him His doubts hoever impel him to look back over his shoulder and Eurydice vanishes like a phantom before his eyes Despondent he returns to Earth alone Act 5 - Orfeo is consumed by grief Apollo his father comes don from the heavens to take his son aay here he can behold the image of Eurydice forever in the stars Performance History: From Wikipedia: " the opera hich starts ith a Toccata that is sounded three times before the curtain rises ith all the instruments and a tone higher ith muted trumpets The indications in the score of the register of the trumpets (clarino quinta alto e basso vulgano and basso) suggest that hat is intended is a fanfare of trumpets: it is here presumed that in contrast ith hat is prescribed in the direction the signal that the opera is beginning ought to be entrusted solely to the trumpets hich ere probably those of a possible military corps deputed to provide trumpet-calls Follino rote as follos in describing the festivities of 08: And hen the torches ere lit in the theatre the usual trumpet fanfare as given from behind the stage and at the start of the third fanfare the great curtain that concealed the stage disappeared in the inking of an eye" Performance Suggestions: Though scored for full band the ork can effetively be performed by brass and percussion only When using the full ind ensemble it is suggested that the drums (multiple players as desired on toms or snares: off) are tacet during the the second repeat or that only a single player is used ith the remaining players joining at measure 18 for the last repeat at fortissimo If euphonium and tuba mutes are available the director might ish to use them on the second repeat rather omitting the instruments The lo voice parts (those ith only hole notes) are ritten as split parts so the director can chose the appropriate voicing to balance the ensemble
Score Flute Oboe Bassoon Clarinet 1 Clarinet 2 Clarinet Bass Clarinet Alto Sax Tenor Sax Baritone Sax Trumpet 1 Trumpet 2 Horn in F Trombone 1 Trombone 2 Euphonium (snare off) b Allegro F 1st rd time = tutti 2nd time = solo 1 CLICK HERE to listen to this piece hile vieing the music 1x = f - Brass/s 2x = mf - W/muted Brass (no )/solo x = ff - All {q = 126} æ 2 F - ƒ 1x = brass only; 2x = loco ; x = 8va f - Play 1st rd time only f - f - f - f - ( ) - ƒ æ f - f - Toccata from L'Orfeo æ - Bandroomcom Publications 5 æ Claudio Monteverdi (Italian 1567-) arranged by Brian Harris j J 6 j æ
Toccata from L'Orfeo Fl Ob Bsn Clar 1 Clar 2 Clar B Clar A Sx T Sx B Sx Trpt 1 7 Promotional Sample 8 9 11 Trpt 2 Hn Trom 1 b Only Trom 2 Euph æ æ æ æ æ
Fl Toccata from L'Orfeo 5 Ob Bsn Clar 1 Clar 2 Clar B Clar A Sx T Sx B Sx Trpt 1 j Promotional J 12 Sample 1 1 15 Trpt 2 Hn Trom 1 b j Only Trom 2 Euph æ æ æ æ
6 Toccata from L'Orfeo Fl 1 2 Ob Bsn Clar 1 Clar 2 Clar B Clar A Sx T Sx B Sx Trpt 1 Promotional 17 Sample 1 2 18 19 20 21 22 Trpt 2 Hn Trom 1 b Only Trom 2 Euph æ æ 1 2 æ f 2nd time= tutti æ æ æ Í 2x F ƒ æ