African Suite, Op. 35, No. 4: Danse Negre Cover Image

African Suite, Op. 35, No. 4: Danse Negre: Full Orchestra, Ensemble Works

$44.00 USD
$44.00 USD
Skip to product information
African Suite, Op. 35, No. 4: Danse Negre Cover Image
African Suite, Op. 35, No. 4: Danse Negre: Full Orchestra, Ensemble Works

African Suite, Op. 35, No. 4: Danse Negre: Full Orchestra, Ensemble Works

By Samuel Coleridge-Taylor

Item: 36-A542401OS
$44.00
Shipped

One moment…

Description
Samuel Coleridge-Taylor (1875-1912) wrote his four movement AFRICAN SUITE for piano in 1898, two years after the success of his BALLADE in A minor, as a result of meeting African-American poet Paul Laurence Dunbar, who encouraged the young man to explore his African heritage. "Danse nègre," the high-energy fourth and final movement in the suite, is also the most familiar. Instrumentation: 2+Picc.2.2.2: 4.2.3.0: Timp.Perc(2-3): Str (9-8-7-6-5 in set). 11x14 score.

This product is Printed on Demand and may take several weeks to fulfill. Please order from your favorite retailer.

African Suite, Op. 35, No. 4: Danse Negre: Full Orchestra, Ensemble Works isn't in MakeMusic Cloud just yet...but it could be. Let us know you'd like to see it, and you'll help shape what comes next. In the meantime, start a free trial and dive into thousands of interactive titles your students can play along with today.

Request This Title

Tell us you want it.

Start Your Free Trial

Explore everything that's ready to play right now.
Sample Pages

No sample pages found.
Sample Audio
No sample audio found.
Sample Video
No sample videos found.
Additional Details
Series: Kalmus Oversized Score Library
Publisher: Keiser Productions, Inc.
ISBN10: 8-88-852263-8
ISBN13: 979-8-88-852263-9
UPC: 676737554149
SKU: 36-A542401OS
Instrumentation: Detailed Instrumentation: 2+Picc.2.2.2: 4.2.3.0: Timp.Perc(2-3): Str (9-8-7-6-5 in set)

More about this title

About the Composer: Samuel Coleridge-Taylor

Samuel Coleridge-Taylor (1875-1912) was a British composer of African descent whose short but prolific career made him one of the most performed composers of the Edwardian era. Born in London to an English mother and a father from Sierra Leone, he studied at the Royal College of Music and became known for orchestral works, choral music, and art songs that drew on both European classical traditions and African musical elements. His meeting with African-American poet Paul Laurence Dunbar in 1897 proved pivotal, encouraging Coleridge-Taylor to engage more deliberately with his heritage and explore African themes in his compositions.

The African Suite stands as one of his most enduring works, written in 1898 when the composer was in his mid-twenties. Though originally composed for solo piano, the suite's vivid character and rhythmic vitality made it a natural candidate for orchestration. Coleridge-Taylor's orchestration brings brilliant color and dramatic sweep to the original, particularly in the finale, which remains a concert favorite more than a century later.

Why we love this

Danse Nègre explodes with infectious energy and rhythmic drive that engages audiences immediately. The orchestration is splendid without being bloated, and the piece manages to be both accessible and musically substantial, making it an ideal choice for orchestras seeking work by a historically significant composer that also delivers genuine concert impact.

What to expect

The piece pulses with unbridled joy and kinetic energy, built on syncopated rhythms that seem to propel the orchestra forward almost against its will. There is brightness and exuberance throughout, yet also moments of shapely melodic expression that prevent the work from becoming merely rhythmic spectacle.

Who it's for

This work suits orchestras at the advanced high school level and above, as well as university and professional ensembles. The piece rewards orchestras with players secure in rhythmic reading and capable of maintaining ensemble cohesion through syncopated, driving material.

How to get the most out of it

  • Balance the layered rhythmic figures in the woodwinds and brass against the string foundation; the syncopation reads more cleanly when each section maintains clear articulation rather than blending too smoothly.
  • Give the percussion parts (particularly timpani and auxiliary percussion) rhythmic independence and presence; they drive the pulse forward and should not feel subordinate to the melodic material.
  • Shape the crescendos with deliberate control. The piece builds naturally through accumulation and rhythmic intensity, but premature volume in early sections can undermine the structural trajectory toward the climax.
  • Use the string section's full dynamic range. The opening material benefits from a lighter touch before the energy peaks, allowing room for genuine crescendo rather than starting already full.

How to use it

Program this as a concert opener or as an energetic closer that leaves the audience animated and satisfied. It pairs well on a concert exploring African and African-diaspora musical voices, or on a program celebrating early twentieth-century British composers. The piece also works effectively as a showpiece for an orchestra's rhythmic precision and color palette.

Skills your students will build

  • Reading and performing syncopated rhythmic figures across multiple instrumental sections
  • Maintaining ensemble cohesion through layered, independent rhythmic material
  • Balancing melodic and rhythmic elements so neither overwhelms the other
  • Dynamic control and phrasing in rapid, energetic tempos
  • Coordinating timpani and percussion within an active orchestral texture

You May Also Like