Intermezzo Sinfonico from 'Cavalleria Rusticana'

Intermezzo Sinfonico from 'Cavalleria Rusticana' is a Grade 3 selection, well-suited to the mature junior high or high school band.

Program Notes

Intermezzo Sinfonico from 'Cavalleria Rusticana' is a Grade 3 selection, well-suited to the mature junior high or high school band.

Between the time Giuseppe Verdi wrote Otello and Falstaff, the Italian opera moved in reaction to the verismo school, based on “naturalism”, featuring stories with commonplace characters, settings and situations with which audiences could easily identify. Mascagni was only 27 years old when his most famous work, the Opera Cavalleria Rusticana ('Rustic Chivalry') opened with brilliant success, giving birth to verismo. This one work launched Mascagni into the international opera circuit, but despite a long career, he was never able to duplicate its success. His most popular surviving musical fragment is the “Intermezzo”, having been used in the soundtrack of several films, including Martin Scorsese’s Raging Bull, The Godfather, Part III and the HBO series The Sopranos.

The orchestral “Intermezzo” occurs between the two scenes of the opera’s single act, and evokes the Easter day religious spirit of the opera’s setting.

Mr. Odom recommends 4 flute players, 4 players each on the non-solo Bb Clarinet parts, 3 players on the tuba part, 2 cellists and 3 string bass. The cello parts are optional, but effective when used.

Grade Level: 3
Copyright: 2006
Number of Players: Standard
Duration: 3:45
Publisher: Aux Arcs Music
Category: Concert Band

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Instrumentation

Flute 1, 2, 3 & 4
Oboe 1 & 2
Englih Horn
Bassoon 1 & 2
Clarinet in E-flat
Solo Clarinet 1 in B-flat
Solo Clarinet 2 in B-flat
Clarinet 1 in B-flat
Clarinet 2 in B-flat
Clarinet 3 in B-flat
Bass Clarinet in B-flat
Contra-Alto Clarinet in E-flat
E-flat Alto Saxophone 1 & 2
B-flat Tenor Saxophone
E-flat Baritone Saxophone

Horn 1 & 2 in F
Horn 3 & 4 in F
Euphonium 1 & 2
Tuba

Cello
String Bass
Harp