Kreisleriana
1 piccolo flute, 2 flutes, 2 oboes, 1 cor anglais, 2 clarinets, 1 bass clarinet, 2 bassoons, 4 horns, 2 trumpets, 2 trombones, 1 bass trombone, 1 tuba, timpani + 4 percussionists, piano, harp, the largest possible number of violins standing and facing the audience, normal number of violas, celli and basses
Programme notes
On the freezing evening of February 2004, Casteels passed by his alma mater in Brussels. A sudden curiosity compelled him to open the heavy door. Inside, nothing much had changed since he graduated two decades ago. The ghostly sound of a lonely violinist practicing tirelessly Kreisler's Praeludium and allegro haunted the composer. Back in Singapore, Casteels received a commission from the Singapore National Youth Orchestra and he responded with this paraphrase entitled Kreisleriana, dedicated to all members of the Singapore National Youth Orchestra. Robert Schumann based his Kreisleriana opus 16 on Johannes Kreisler, the fictional character imagined by the Romantic writer E. T. A. Hoffmann. Robert Casteels based in concert paraphrase Kreisleriana on the Austrian-born American violin virtuoso Fritz Kreisler (1875–1962).
Handwritten sketches and drafts
to be found on page 36 of the red cover, A4 size, 385 pages, sketchbook and in the green cover logbook #3
Completion of the composition
1-III-2004
Recording
link is the audio of the premiere
Cover designed by Anamics [2008] (reproduced with permission)
Duration:
10'
Composed In:
2004
Dedicated to:
the members of the Singapore National Youth Orchestra
Parts:
For score, parts and CD Kreisleriana (track 7), please email <rc@robertcasteels.com>
First performance:
10.07.04 Concert Hall, Esplanade Theatres on the Bay, Singapore
First performed by:
The Singapore National Youth Orchestra conducted by R Casteels
Commissioned by:
979-0-9016500-5-3
Download Link: