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Die Fledermaus favorites

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Composer: 
Strauss, Johann
Year Composed: 
1874
Arranger: 
Martinet, Leigh
Year Arranged: 
1988
Original Instrumentation: 
Full orchestra
Type of Arrangement: 
Transcription
Availability: 
Commercial
Publisher: 
Baltimore Horn Club
Year Published: 
1988
Catalogue Number: 
BHC.17
Sheet Music Format: 

A4, Score (8) & parts (4x4=16)

Players
Number of Players: 
4
Additional Players: 
0
Approximate Duration: 
9
Technical Difficulty: 
Difficult
Structure/Movements: 
One movement in 9 sections:
Tempo di marcia
Allegro moderato
Moderato
Tempo di valse
Allegro con brio
Allegretto moderato
Valse lento
Tempo di valse
Allegro molto
Clefs: 
Treble, bass
Key signatures: 
None, 1b
Meters: 
2/4, 6/8, 3/4
Range: 

Horn 1: b – b2

Horn 2: f – f2

Horn 3: g – a2

Horn 4:G – g1

Performance Notes: 

Die Fledermaus (The bat) is one of Johann Strauss II’s best known works. Set to a libretto by Karl Haffner and Richard Genée, it contains many of the trademark Strauss waltzes, and a very memorable overture.

 

The arrangement begins with a tempo di Marcia, rather than the overture, and it takes some time until we encounter the first waltz. After some more incidental music, only at the very end, do we get the famous waltz, which leads into a 28-bar coda (allegro molto). The division of parts is in usual orchestral fashion (1-3-2-4), with little more than the bass in horn 4. The parts are not very demanding in terms of range, but the fast tempi require quick finger movements, and in the 4th horn some quick octave leaps.

 

This is a good suite of incidental music from The Fledermaus, and as such can be recommended to lighten up any concert program.

Credits: 

Access to review score: Nancy Joy (NMSU)