The Wand of Youth: Suite No. 1, Op. 1a (Music to a child's play) Cover Image

The Wand of Youth: Suite No. 1, Op. 1a (Music to a child's play): Full Orchestra, Ensemble Works Conductor Score & Parts

$125.00 USD

The Wand of Youth: Suite No. 1, Op. 1a (Music to a child's play): Full Orchestra, Ensemble Works Conductor Score & Parts

Name: The Wand of Youth: Suite No. 1, Op. 1a (Music to a child's play): Full Orchestra, Ensemble Works Conductor Score & Parts
Brand: Alfred Music
SKU: 36-A564402
Price: 125.00 USD
Availability: InStock

By Edward Elgar

Item: 36-A564402

$125.00

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The Wand of Youth suites are based on materials Sir Edward Elgar (1857-1934) wrote as a boy for use in a play by the younger members of his family. The composer also used materials he composed while employed as conductor of the attendants' band at the Worcester and County Lunatic Asylum (now called Powick Hospital). Elgar gave both suites the opus numbers 1a and 1b respectively, in recognition of the materials being his earliest surviving compositions. The Wand of Youth First Suite was premiered in 1907 at the Queen's Hall in London under the direction of Henry Wood. The Wand of Youth Second Suite premiered at the Worcester Three Choirs Festival in 1908, under the direction of the composer. While the suites in their entirety are not typically programmed, individual movements were required repertoire for small salon orchestras from 1910 into the 1960s and are often paired with other shorter pieces by Elgar. Instrumentation: 2(2dPicc).2.2.2+CtrBsn(opt): 4.2.3.1: Timp.Perc(2-4): Hp: Str (9-8-7-6-5 in set).

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Series: Kalmus Orchestra Library

Publisher: Keiser Productions, Inc.

UPC: 735816322830

SKU: 36-A564402

Instrumentation: Full Orchestra, Ensemble Works

More about this title

About the Composer: Edward Elgar

Edward Elgar (1857-1934) stands as one of Britain's most celebrated composers, known for grand orchestral works that defined the Edwardian era. Born in Worcester, England, Elgar was largely self-taught and worked as a violinist, organist, and conductor before achieving international recognition. His early years included practical experience conducting the Worcester and County Lunatic Asylum's band, a position that sharpened his orchestration skills and provided material he would later recycle into his mature compositions.

The Wand of Youth suites represent Elgar's unique approach to posterity: he returned to sketches and arrangements he had created as a child and during his asylum years, giving them formal opus numbers (1a and 1b) to honor them as his earliest surviving works. This act of revision and retrospection became characteristic of his compositional practice. Elgar's gift for melody, his mastery of orchestral color, and his ability to infuse charm with sophistication are all evident in these suites, which have remained popular with orchestras seeking engaging, accessible repertoire.

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Why we love this

This suite opens a door to Elgar that many orchestras overlook in favor of the Enigma Variations or Pomp and Circumstance. Individual movements are compact enough to pair with other works, yet substantial enough to command attention from audiences and musicians alike. The orchestration sparkles with invention while remaining well-balanced across the ensemble, making it rewarding for conductors and players at the intermediate-advanced level.

What to expect

These movements evoke Victorian drawing rooms and genteel pastimes, yet without sentimentality. There is genuine innocence in the melodic writing, a kind of sophisticated playfulness that recalls Elgar's origins in the music for a family theatrical. The orchestration glows with warmth, particularly in the string writing, while moments of delicate whimsy break through the more sentimental passages.

Who it's for

This work suits orchestras with solid fundamentals across all sections and a conductor experienced in shaping Edwardian-era orchestral music. The full score and parts make it ideal for festival programming, concert series building toward larger Elgar works, or repertoire exploration in advanced youth orchestras and college programs.

How to get the most out of it

Allow the string section breathing room in the gentler movements; Elgar's textures depend on clarity between the lines rather than blended fullness.
Tune the optional contrabassoon carefully if you include it, as it can muddy the lower register if the intonation isn't precise.
Shape phrases with subtle tempo flexibility; this music rewards a conductor who listens and responds rather than maintains metronomic steadiness.
Balance the two to four percussionists so that effects and color enhance rather than overwhelm the melodic material.

How to use it

Program individual movements as lighter fare alongside heavier Romantic-era works, or use the complete suite as a springboard for a concert exploring Elgar's compositional roots. This music pairs particularly well with shorter character pieces by contemporaries, allowing audiences to experience Elgar's versatility beyond his most famous marches and variations.