The Mikado (Overture): String Orchestra Conductor Score & Parts
By Sir Arthur Sullivan / Arranged by Lloyd Conley
Grade: 3-4
Item: 35-PK00143578
$45.00
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Buy Extra Parts (Digital PDF Download)
| Product | Price | Quantity |
|---|---|---|
| The Mikado (Overture) - Full Score | $6.00 | |
| The Mikado (Overture) - Violin 1 | $7.00 | |
| The Mikado (Overture) - Violin 2 | $7.00 | |
| The Mikado (Overture) - Violin 3 (Viola T.C.) | $7.00 | |
| The Mikado (Overture) - Viola | $7.00 | |
| The Mikado (Overture) - Cello | $7.00 | |
| The Mikado (Overture) - String Bass | $7.00 | |
| The Mikado (Overture) - Piano | $7.00 | |
| The Mikado (Overture) - Percussion 1 | $7.00 | |
| The Mikado (Overture) - Percussion 2 | $7.00 | |
| The Mikado (Overture) - Mallet Percussion | $7.00 |
Parts Added to Cart!
Description
Sir Arthur Sullivan wrote fourteen comic operas with librettist W. S. Gilbert, plus overtures, oratorios, cantatas, operettas and other incidental music. "The Mikado" was written in 1885 after a temperamental tantrum during which Sullivan swore that inspiration was lost and that he "would never write another note." Curiously, some consider "Mikado" to be one of his finest comic operas. Dur: 4:00
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Additional Details
Publisher:
Hal Leonard
SKU:
35-PK00143578
More about this title
About the Composer: Sir Arthur Sullivan
Sir Arthur Sullivan stands as one of the most prolific and commercially successful composers of the Victorian era. His fourteen comic operas, created in partnership with W. S. Gilbert, became the foundation of English operetta and continue to dominate the repertoire today. Beyond the stage, Sullivan composed orchestral works, sacred music, and incidental scores that reveal a composer of genuine sophistication and harmonic invention.
Sullivan's career took him from the Royal Academy of Music to international acclaim, yet he struggled constantly with the tension between his ambitions as a "serious" composer and his gift for the theatrical and the witty. The Mikado emerged from one of his lowest points. After declaring he would never write another note, Sullivan channeled his frustration into what many now regard as his masterwork of comic opera.
Why we love this
This overture captures everything that makes Gilbert and Sullivan irresistible: melodic charm, clever orchestration, and momentum that sustains itself for four minutes without a dull moment. String players encounter some genuinely elegant writing here, with Sullivan's gift for hummable themes balanced against legitimate musical substance. It's a showstopper that audiences actually want to hear, not endure.
What to expect
Buoyant and witty, with the unmistakable sparkle of Victorian comic opera. Themes tumble over one another with orchestral color that feels both elegant and playful. There's a lightness here that contrasts beautifully with heavier fare, yet the music never sounds slight or trivial.
Who it's for
String orchestra directors who want a crowd pleasing opener or closer for a concert, especially those serving players in grades 3 and 4. This arrangement makes the overture accessible without sacrificing the charm of Sullivan's original concept, and audiences never tire of The Mikado.
How to get the most out of it
- Balance the principal melodic voices across the section so that each theme lands with clarity; Sullivan's orchestration often requires careful attention to who has the tune at any given moment.
- Maintain a crisp, lilting character throughout without letting tempos drag. The comic spirit depends on rhythmic vitality.
- Shape the phrases toward moments of articulation or harmonic change rather than treating sections as uniform blocks of sound.
- Allow the ensemble to breathe naturally at cadences. This music thrives when it feels conversational rather than mechanical.
How to use it
Open a spring concert with this to set an energetic, entertaining tone. It pairs especially well with other operatic or theatrical material, or use it as a palate cleanser between contrasting pieces. The 4-minute duration makes it a perfect fit for hybrid concerts mixing strings with other ensembles.
Skills your students will build
- Tracking multiple melodic lines simultaneously across the string section
- Executing crisp articulations and clear phrase shapes at moderate tempos
- Responding to conductor direction for subtle dynamic and textural changes
- Maintaining rhythmic precision in fanfare-like passages and scalar figures