Johannesburg Festival Overture

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front page of orchestral score with names of three Walton overtures
Cover of published score

Johannesburg Festival Overture is a composition for orchestra by the English composer William Walton, commissioned to mark the seventieth anniversary of Johannesburg in 1956. It is a short, lively piece, fast-moving throughout.

Background

In 1956, to celebrate the seventieth anniversary of the founding of

Sir Malcolm Sargent and Guido Cantelli.[1] Among the works the LSO scheduled for its five concerts was Walton's First Symphony,[2] but Ernest Fleischmann, the musical director of the festival, also wanted a new Walton piece for the opening concert. He approached the composer in January 1956 with a commission for an orchestral work.[3] He suggested that the piece should include some African themes, and sent Walton some Bantu melodies.[4] Walton sent for recordings of African music from the African Music Society,[3] and worked on the piece at his home in Ischia from February until the end of May 1956.[4] He incorporated the main theme from Jean Bosco Mwenda's "Masanga", which had been released on record earlier in the decade.[5] Also included was a theme from Ruanda-Urundi, "Nimuze".[6]

Walton described the overture to his publisher as "a non-stop gallop ... slightly crazy, hilarious and vulgar".

Rossinian romp".[8]

First performances

Sargent conducted the

South African Broadcasting Corporation Symphony Orchestra on 25 September 1956 at Johannesburg City Hall in the concert that opened the festival.[9] Efrem Kurtz introduced the work to Britain in a Liverpool Philharmonic concert on 13 November 1956 at the Philharmonic Hall.[9] Sargent conducted the first London performance, with the BBC Symphony Orchestra at the Royal Festival Hall on 23 January 1957.[9] The American premiere was given by the Boston Symphony Orchestra conducted by Charles Munch on 15 March 1957.[10]

Score

The work is scored for three flutes (third doubling piccolo), two oboes, cor anglais, three clarinets in A, three bassoons (third doubling contrabassoon) – four horns in F, three trumpets in B-flat, three trombones, tuba – timpani, three or four percussion (side drum, cymbals, suspended cymbal, bass drum, xylophone, tambourine, triangle, tenor drum, maracas, rumba sticks, castanets, glockenspiel) – harp – strings.[11]

The work is a rondo, fast-paced throughout. Its first tempo marking is presto capriccio; after a very small ritardando the tempo becomes vivacissimo, which accelerates into a prestissimo. The key is D.[12]

Publication

Oxford University Press published an 84 page study score in 1958. The score, edited by David Lloyd-Jones, is included in the William Walton Edition, in volume 14, "Overtures".[11] Vilém Tauský arranged a reduced orchestra version in 1957.[13]

Recordings

The composer recorded the work with the Philharmonia Orchestra on 26 March 1957.[14] Later recordings:

Orchestra Conductor Release date
New York Philharmonic Andre Kostelanetz 1961
National Youth Orchestra of New Zealand Ashley Heenan 1967
Royal Liverpool Philharmonic
Sir Charles Groves
 1969
London Philharmonic
 Bryden Thomson 1991
Radio-Sinfonieorchester Basel Erich Schmid 1996
English Northern Philharmonia
 Paul Daniel 1996

References

  1. ^ "Johannesburg Festival", Basutoland News, 17 July 1956, p. 2
  2. ^ Morrison, p. 130
  3. ^ a b Kennedy, p. 195
  4. ^ a b Lloyd, p. 229
  5. ^ Rycroft, David. "The Guitar Improvisations of Mwenda Jean Bosco", African Music, Vol. 2, No. 4 (1961), p. 81 (subscription required)
  6. ^ Louw, Johan L., and Johan K. Louw. "Notes and News", African Music, Vol. 1, No. 3, 1956, p. 73 (subscription required)
  7. ^ Lloyd, p. 218
  8. OCLC 1267975941
  9. ^ a b c Kennedy, p. 295
  10. ^ Durgin, Cyrus. "Boston Symphony Orchestra", The Boston Daily Globe, 16 March 1957, p. 10
  11. ^ a b "Johannesburg Festival Overture", Oxford University Press. Retrieved 14 March 2024
  12. ^ Howes, p. 116
  13. ^ "Johannesburg Festival Overture", Oxford University Press. Retrieved 14 March 2024
  14. ^ Kennedy, p. 324

Sources

External links: music videos
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