Good Humored Ladies, The (Le donne de buon umore) - Suite from the Ballet: Full Orchestra, Conductor Score & Parts

Vincenzo Tommasini's orchestration brings Scarlatti's keyboard idiom into full orchestral color without losing the wit and sprightliness of the original sonatas. The six-movement suite structure gives conductors a complete theatrical arc that works equally well in concert settings, and the inclusion of the famous Cat's Fugue (K. 30) guarantees a moment of genuine musical virtuosity that orchestras love to showcase.

The music bubbles with comic energy and keyboard brilliance, full of rapid passagework and witty character dances that evoke the carnival setting of Goldoni's comedy. Orchestrally it balances transparency and color: the strings sing with Baroque elegance while woodwind and brass details add character without ever becoming heavy or overwrought.

This suite works for orchestras at the intermediate to advanced level that want to program an elegant eighteenth-century work without the demands of a full-scale symphony. Conductors seeking repertoire with theatrical flair and clear movement structures will find the ballet context an asset for engagement and storytelling.

• Balance the harpsichord or piano continuo so it provides harmonic foundation without overwhelming the string texture; the accompaniment instrument should enhance, not compete with, the melodic lines distributed across the orchestra.
• Shape the faster movements with crisp articulation and clean attacks in the woodwinds and strings to capture the keyboard brilliance of Scarlatti's original writing.
• Allow the Andante movement breathing room and lyrical warmth; resist the urge to rush, as this is where the sonatas' songful character emerges most clearly.
• Prepare the Cat's Fugue section with clear part independence in the strings and woodwinds, treating it as a fully realized contrapuntal texture rather than mere accompaniment.

The Good Humored Ladies fits naturally into a concert exploring ballet music or Baroque orchestral arrangements, offering a lighter complement to heavier twentieth-century scores or a clever pairing with other works drawn from keyboard literature. Its moderate length and accessible charm make it suitable for educational concerts where you want to introduce audiences to orchestration and the music of the Baroque era.

• Orchestration and color differentiation across woodwind, brass, and string sections
• Balance and blend in transparent textures with multiple independent melodic lines
• Baroque phrasing and articulation in a modern orchestral context
• Conducting accompaniment patterns that support rather than dominate keyboard continuo instruments
• Ensemble coordination across six distinct movements with contrasting tempos and characters