Suite No. 3 in G, Op. 55: Full Orchestra Oversized Score

$190.00 USD

Suite No. 3 in G, Op. 55: Full Orchestra Oversized Score

Name: Suite No. 3 in G, Op. 55: Full Orchestra Oversized Score
Brand: Alfred Music
SKU: 36-A243601OS
Price: 190.00 USD
Availability: OutOfStock

By Peter Ilyitch Tchaikovsky

Item: 36-A243601OS

$190.00

Shipped

One moment…

The longest and best known of Peter Ilyitch Tchaikovsky's (1840-1893) four orchestral suites, Suite No. 3 in G Major, Op. 55 was written and orchestrated between April and July 1884. Unoriginally uncertain if his new large scale work would be best approached as a symphony or a piano concerto, Tchaikovsky eventually settled on a third orchestra suite after a walk in his garden on April day. Originally intended to have five movements, the intended first movement caused the composer so much consternation that he eventually rejected it altogether and opted for a four-movement suite instead, though he used the material from the rejected first movement - "Contrastes" - in his Concert Fantasia for piano and orchestra, which he began while still orchestrating SUITE NO. 3. The suite was received warmly by concertgoers at the January 24th, 1885 premiere in Saint Petersburg, Russia, under the baton of Hans von Bülow. Following the premiere, Tchaikovsky wrote to his patroness that "reality far exceeded my expectations. I have never before experienced such a triumph. I saw that then entire mass of the audience was moved, and grateful to me. These moments are the finest adornment of the artist's life. Thanks to these it is worth living and laboring." In 1970, co-founder and founding choreographer of the New York City Ballet, George Balanchine, created a ballet set to the music of Suite No. 3. Instrumentation: 3(3dPicc).2+EH.2.2: 4.2.3.1: Timp.Perc(2-3): Hp: Str(9-8-7-6-5). Reprint edition. 11x14 oversized full score.

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

Suite No. 3 in G, Op. 55: Full Orchestra Oversized Score 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.

No sample pages found.

No sample audio found.

No sample videos found.

Series: Kalmus Oversized Score Library

Publisher: Keiser Productions, Inc.

ISBN10: 8-898107-43-9

ISBN13: 979-8-898107-43-7

UPC: 605258968524

SKU: 36-A243601OS

Instrumentation: 3(3dPicc).2+EH.2.2: 4.2.3.1: Timp.Perc(2-3): Hp: Str(9-8-7-6-5)

More about this title

About the Composer: Peter Ilyitch Tchaikovsky

Peter Ilyitch Tchaikovsky (1840, 1893) shaped the Russian symphonic tradition while drawing deeply from Western European forms. His orchestral writing combines lyrical melody with bold harmonic language and virtuosic instrumental writing, making his scores essential study for conductors learning how to balance emotional directness with compositional sophistication.

Tchaikovsky's relationship with his own large-scale works was often fraught. He revised extensively, abandoned movements, and second-guessed his structural choices, yet this perfectionism resulted in some of the most performed orchestral music in the repertoire. Suite No. 3 emerged from exactly this creative struggle, a work that shifted genres mid-composition but arrived at the podium fully formed.

Show moreShow less

Why we love this

This suite showcases Tchaikovsky at his most confident and orchestrally inventive, with writing that sits beautifully for each section of the ensemble. The four-movement structure offers a complete concert experience without the length of a symphony, making it an achievable goal for orchestras seeking substantive repertoire with immediate warmth and accessibility.

What to expect

The suite unfolds as a journey from introspection through playful interlude into celebration. Tchaikovsky's gift for melody meets his understanding of orchestral sonority; thick textures bloom into crystalline passages, and moments of profound lyricism alternate with bursts of rhythmic vitality. This is music that rewards both conductor and audience with genuine emotional architecture.

Who it's for

This work suits orchestras with strong string sections and enough wind and brass depth to handle the full instrumentation (including three flutes, English horn, four horns, and timpani plus percussion). It's ideal for conductors seeking a major concert work that challenges musicians without requiring virtuosic soloists.

How to get the most out of it

Balance the harp against the strings in moments where it carries harmonic weight; the shimmer disappears if players rush or force the tone.
The percussion book requires coordination across 2, 3 players with timpani doubling on auxiliary percussion. Settle these parts in sectional rehearsals before full ensemble work.
Tchaikovsky's dynamic markings are precise and frequent. Resist the urge to smooth them out; those sudden shifts in volume are structural signposts that singers and players in the hall will hear as intentional design.
The English horn lines sit in a register where the tone can easily flatten under pressure. Encourage the player to find the pitch and trust it, especially in exposed moments over sustained strings.

How to use it

Program this as a centerpiece work on a concert devoted to Russian or Romantic repertoire, or pair it with a shorter contemporary work to create an evening of depth and substance. The suite's four movements allow flexibility in concert design; some conductors have paired individual movements with other selections, though performing it complete honors Tchaikovsky's architecture.