Puccini in Beijing / arr. Picarband [Concert Band (Wind Band)]

Score and Parts or Score only (you can choose)

arranged by Picarband

Duration：5'05"

Publisher：Golden Hearts Publications（ONSA）

Printing Material：
DX ver. : Biotope for score (B4 size), color fine paper for parts
Regular Ver. : Color fine paper for score (B4 size) and parts

Program notes:

This composition presents some excerpts from the last work of Giacomo Puccini (1858-1924).
TURANDOT is a musical fairy tale and to tell it Puccini used seven motifs from the Chinese folk tradition.

The musical construction is entrusted to particular scales from which the melodies and harmonies that create the particular oriental atmospheres are drawn.
The sound setting takes place in Beijing, the Forbidden City, the people gather in front of the imperial court, Princess Turandot appears, while the three ministers Ping Pong Pang entertain the suitor Calaf. Turandot announces her drastic decisions, a gallows stands in the public square and the executioner's blade is sharpened while awaiting execution. Poor and unhappy Liu also appears with a sweet motif, who does not reveal the name of the unknown Prince. Each character lives within his own sound world, with the appropriate music by Puccini. After Turandot's three riddles to test Calaf, who manages to solve them (it is hope, blood and Turandot herself) various events alternate and the intervention of the Emperor induces Turandot to respect the pacts. At the end of the work, love will win.

Here is the succession of events, with the musical indications included in this arrangement:

I start with the choral part of "Long live the Emperor"

Quiet Andantino, moderate and pleasant Allegretto

Allegretto talked between the three ministers: Ping, Pong, Pang.

The Dramatic moment of public performance with "Gira la cote".

Great finale with the motif "At dawn I will win"

Turandot is an example of Puccini's attention to the exotic color, which draws from both folklore and the archaic, in an inseparable whole, with the musical structure at the service of the plot of this musical fairy tale. The simplicity of the themes serves to emphasize the theatrical effect, in this way Puccini tries to give modernity to his music, using a few notes, this to be immediately understood by the public and set it in Turandot's orientalism.

It is enough to observe these melodies, based on a restricted use of notes, small intervals with increased degrees, arranged on oriental pentaphonic scales. All supported by harmonies between major and minor modes, with the exploitation of modal sequences and parallel chords, with the presentation of some highly effective melodic notes-pedals and melodic unisons.
The rhythm is presented with the use of obstinate metric schemes, thanks to the variety of the orchestration (as it appears in this instrumentation for wind orchestra) certain musical characteristics emerge; finally, the marked use of percussion, with the indication that some particular instruments can be used as desired to favor the colors of the oriental setting.
The arrangement is deliberately designed to facilitate the performance and allow young instrumental ensembles to make known and relive the motifs taken from the TURANDOT opera, in this unusual musical journey by PUCCINI to BEIJING.


(Picarband)


Reference music：

Score Sample：
https://issuu.com/goldenheartspublications/docs/00-score_-primavera_at_first_sight_-_goldenhearts_

Instrumentation：
Flute 1 / Piccolo
Flute 2
Oboe (opt. sopr. sax)
Bassoon (opt.)
Bb Clarinet 1
Bb Clarinet 2
Bb Bass Clarinet (opt.)
Soprano Saxophone (opt.)
Alto Saxophone 1
Alto Saxophone 2
Tenor Saxophone
Baritone Saxophone (opt.)
Bb Trumpet 1
Bb Trumpet 2
F Horn 1
F Horn 2
Trombone / Euphonium 1
Trombone / Euphonium 2
Tuba
Timpani
Glockenspiel, Xylophone (1 player)
Percussuion 1：Wood blocks (a 3)/Snare Drum-Tom-toms/Bass Drum (pedal)  (2 players)
Percussuion 2：Suspended cymbal/ Triangle/Tambourine/Gong/Tam tam (2 players)