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Falstaff, Op. 68 (Symphonic Study): Full Orchestra Conductor Score & Parts

$320.00 USD
$320.00 USD
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Falstaff, Op. 68 (Symphonic Study) Cover Image
Falstaff, Op. 68 (Symphonic Study): Full Orchestra Conductor Score & Parts

Falstaff, Op. 68 (Symphonic Study): Full Orchestra Conductor Score & Parts

By Edward Elgar

Item: 36-A674802
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Falstaff, Op. 68 (Symphonic Study): Full Orchestra Conductor Score

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Description
Falstaff, Op. 68 (Symphonic Study) was composed in 1913 by Edward Elgar (1857-1934) as one of his most ambitious orchestral works, inspired by Shakespeare's beloved character Sir John Falstaff from Henry IV and The Merry Wives of Windsor. Rather than a traditional tone poem, Elgar conceived the piece as a richly detailed psychological portrait, tracing Falstaff's humor, swagger, warmth, and ultimate decline through intricate thematic transformation and masterful orchestration. Falstaff was premiered on December 19, 1913, in Leeds, conducted by Sir Henry Wood, and was immediately recognized for its complexity and symphonic scope. Although less frequently performed than Elgar's Enigma Variations or concertos, FALSTAFF is today regarded as one of his finest orchestral achievements. Movements: I. Falstaff and Prince Henry; II. Eastcheap - Gadshill - The Boar's Head. Revelry and sleep - Dream Interlude (Poco allegretto); III. Falstaff's march - The return through Gloucestershire - Interlude: Gloucestershire. Shallow's orchard (Allegretto) - The new king - The hurried ride to London; IV. King Henry V's progress - The repudiation of Falstaff, and his death. Instrumentation: 2+1(Picc).2+1(EH).2+1(BCl).2+1(CBsn): 4.3.3.1: Timp.Perc(3-4): 2Hp(2nd ad lib): Str (9.8.7.6.5 in set). Reprint edition.

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Additional Details
Series: Kalmus Orchestra Library
Publisher: Keiser Productions, Inc.
UPC: 612735520496
SKU: 36-A674802
Instrumentation: 2+1(Picc).2+1(EH).2+1(BCl).2+1(CBsn): 4.3.3.1: Timp.Perc(3-4): 2Hp(2nd ad lib): Str (9.8.7.6.5 in set)

More about this title

About the Composer: Edward Elgar

Edward Elgar (1857-1934) stands as one of Britain's most significant orchestral composers, celebrated for his gift for sweeping melodies, intricate counterpoint, and lavish orchestration. His mastery of psychological portraiture through music reached its apex in works like the Enigma Variations and Falstaff, where he transformed literary characters and personal relationships into rich symphonic narratives that reward repeated listening and deep study.

Why we love this

Falstaff represents Elgar at his most inventive orchestrally and structurally. Rather than simply depicting a character, he builds a complete psychological arc across four interconnected movements, using thematic transformation and masterful instrumental color to move from swagger to pathos. For orchestras ready to tackle substantial late-Romantic repertoire, this work delivers the kind of technical and expressive challenge that transforms an ensemble's capabilities.

What to expect

Falstaff unfolds like a Shakespearean play in music, moving from the knight's boisterous confidence and charm through intimate reverie to a heartbreaking decline. Elgar's orchestration glows with warmth and wit, then deepens into shadow and loss, asking listeners to feel genuine sympathy for a man undone by changing times.

Who it's for

Orchestras with intermediate to advanced ensemble skills and the stamina for a 30-minute single-movement work of considerable harmonic and orchestrational complexity. Conductors seeking to expand their Elgar repertoire beyond the Enigma Variations will find Falstaff a richly rewarding challenge that illuminates his symphonic thinking.

How to get the most out of it

  • Establish the character of Falstaff's principal theme early in rehearsal; every section needs to understand how this material evolves and fragments across the work, particularly its diminished form in the final movement.
  • Balance the conversation between woodwind choirs (especially the oboe and English horn lines in the dream interlude) so dialogue remains transparent without drowning out the harmonic foundation.
  • Shape the Eastcheap revelry section with rhythmic precision but without rigidity; Elgar's syncopations and cross-rhythms need flex to sound genuinely rollicking rather than metronomic.
  • Reserve dynamic intensity for the repudiation scene and death music in the final movement; the restraint earlier makes the climactic emotional shift credible and shattering.

How to use it

Program Falstaff as a centerpiece that anchors a concert around Edwardian orchestral music or thematic programming exploring character and psychology in music. Its substantial length and emotional weight work best as the main work rather than paired with other substantial pieces, allowing the arc from swagger to repudiation to land fully.

Skills your students will build

  • Conducting complex thematic transformation and leitmotif development across a large-scale work
  • Balancing multiple woodwind and brass choir dialogues in dense orchestral textures
  • Interpreting late-Romantic harmonic language and chromatic voice-leading
  • Shaping dramatic arcs and emotional climaxes across extended instrumental forms
  • Managing large ensemble dynamics and articulation for character portrayal and psychological depth

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