Galop!
Virtuoso Orchestral Transcriptions
David Stanhope & His Orchestra
- Tall Poppies CD
- TP265
Contents:
Franz Liszt: Galop in A Minor
Leopold Godowsky: Mouvement Mélancolique
Sergei Rachmaninoff: Suite No.2, Op.17
Leopold Godowsky: Passacaglia
David Stanhope: The Promenade March
David Stanhope: Grand Fanfare
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This is a serious orchestral “show-off” disc. As David Stanhope says: “the major works were originally written for piano or two pianos. The Liszt and Godowsky pieces are rarely heard because of their extreme difficulty, while the Rachmaninoff (although well-known) may have been intended as a future orchestral work. My orchestral transcriptions are intended to shed light on brilliant or beautiful music that is either neglected or shows the possible intent of the composer. The two short pieces of mine attached as encores were originally written for the Asian Games of 2006.”
Stanhope is one of the very few Australian composers who enjoys the challenge of transcribing piano works for orchestra. In the past the composers themselves would have undertaken this task, in order to give popular works other performing opportunities. It’s thrilling to see what a good imagination, stellar craftsmanship and creativity can achieve.