My orchestration for small orchestra of this overture by Franz von Suppé.

I am in the process of recreating, as far as possible, the music Johann Strauss II wrote or arranged for his debut concert in 1844. This piece is one of my failures. Strauss actually arranged Suppé’s overture “Ein Sommernachtstraum” but, despite much effort, I have not managed to track down a score.

This overture was written in 1844 and, rather than leave a Suppé shaped hole in the concert I have substituted it. It stands up rather better than the Franco/Italian overtures Strauss chose to arrange.

I have followed the published score exactly with regard to articulation and tempo. 150 years of “interpretation” have perhaps made the original sound original! Some of Suppé’s lovely discords are often watered down too.