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Santa Claus Overture (A Lyrical Intermezzo): Full Orchestra, Ensemble Works Conductor Score

$25.00 USD
$25.00 USD
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Santa Claus Overture (A Lyrical Intermezzo) Cover Image
Santa Claus Overture (A Lyrical Intermezzo): Full Orchestra, Ensemble Works Conductor Score

Santa Claus Overture (A Lyrical Intermezzo): Full Orchestra, Ensemble Works Conductor Score

By Harry Rowe Shelley

Item: 36-A743001
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Santa Claus Overture (A Lyrical Intermezzo): Full Orchestra, Ensemble Works Conductor Score & Parts

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Description
Harry Rowe Shelley (1858-1947), American composer, organist, and professor of music saw his Santa Clause Overture (A Lyrical Intermezzo) published in 1900. A musical presentation of St. Nicholas at a time when the persona was still evolving, this eight-minute orchestral work offers a different feel from other holiday fare. Instrumentation: 2.2.2.2: 4.2.3.1: Timp.Perc(3-5): Str (9-8-7-6-5 in set).

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Additional Details
Series: Kalmus Orchestra Library
Publisher: Keiser Productions, Inc.
ISBN10: 1-63-887768-8
ISBN13: 978-1-63-887768-4
UPC: 735816369088
SKU: 36-A743001
Instrumentation: Full Orchestra, Ensemble Works

More about this title

About the Composer: Harry Rowe Shelley

Harry Rowe Shelley (1858–1947) was an American organist, composer, and music educator whose career spanned the transition from the Romantic era into the twentieth century. A respected figure in American musical institutions, Shelley held teaching positions and composed extensively across genres, leaving behind orchestral works, chamber music, and organ compositions that reflected the refined sensibilities of turn-of-the-century concert life.

Shelley's output demonstrates a composer deeply engaged with both symphonic tradition and the evolving American concert repertoire of his time. His works were performed in major venues and his teaching influenced generations of musicians, though much of his catalog remains underexplored by contemporary orchestras.

Why we love this

This overture arrives as a refreshing alternative to the standard holiday orchestral menu. Shelley's approach to the St. Nicholas narrative feels contemplative and lyrical rather than bombastic, giving your orchestra room to breathe through genuinely elegant orchestration. The eight-minute duration makes it ideal for concert programming without overwhelming a single set.

What to expect

Shelley's Santa Claus Overture moves with lyrical grace and gentle nobility rather than festive urgency. The orchestral color feels warm and refined, evoking a moment of reflection on the St. Nicholas legend itself, with passages that invite the listener into contemplation alongside celebration.

Who it's for

Orchestra directors seeking holiday repertoire with substance and originality will find genuine musicianship in this score. Ensembles at the high school and undergraduate levels can manage the standard full orchestra instrumentation, while advanced community orchestras will appreciate the compositional craft and historical significance.

How to get the most out of it

  • Balance the melodic material across the string sections; Shelley distributes thematic content widely, and clarity of line matters as much as volume.
  • Attend to the woodwind doublings and counterpoint in the middle sections. These passages can blur if the ensemble doesn't commit to clean articulation and stable intonation.
  • Let the timpani and percussion serve as structural anchors rather than color; their entries often mark formal turning points in the narrative.

How to use it

Pair this overture with other American orchestral works from the same era to create a program that honors the holiday without relying on the familiar names and arrangements. Its moderate length and introspective character make it an excellent opening work or a thoughtful transition between contrasting repertoire on a winter concert.

Skills your students will build

  • Balancing independent melodic lines across multiple instrumental choirs
  • Reading and executing clear articulation in rapid woodwind passages
  • Managing dynamic control within a lyrical, sustained orchestral texture
  • Understanding formal structure in nineteenth-century American orchestral writing

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