22 May 2018

Classics 101 - 'William Tell Overture'

From Upbeat, 12:00 pm on 22 May 2018

Do you ever hear a piece of classical music that you recognise but don’t know the name of?

Over the coming weeks we’ll delve into some of the most well-known classical tunes around.

We find out the back story behind the piece, learn about the composer and discover where we might know it from.

Lone Ranger and Tonto from 1956

Lone Ranger and Tonto from 1956 Photo: wikicommons

 

The basics

The ‘William Tell Overture’ is one of the most performed and parodied pieces of classical music.

It’s appeared in everything from Disney movies to A Clockwork Orange. And is a must play for many brass bands. The third and fourth movements are the most well-known.

 Many of us will be familiar with The Lone Ranger television show. The theme song is the fourth movement of the Overture, offering up a rollicking gallop.

James Marcus, Warren Clarke (centre) and Malcolm McDowell in A Clockwork Orange.

James Marcus, Warren Clarke (centre) and Malcolm McDowell in A Clockwork Orange. Photo: AFP / Warner Bros / The Kobal Collectio

It was composed by Italian Gioachino Rossini for the opera Guillaume Tell in 1829. He was 38 at the time. Alas the opera wasn’t all that popular, putting an end to his opera writing days, but the overture lives on.

The overture, which is set in Switzerland, features trumpets, trombones, timpani, triangle, oboes, French horns, clarinets, flute, piccolo, bass drum, cymbals and strings. Musicians are told by Rossini in the manuscript to perform it “with spirit”.

The ‘William Tell Overture’ was described as a “symphony in four parts” by Hector Berlioz. Unlike other pieces that contain movements, there is no break between each in ‘William Tell’.

French horn

French horn Photo: wikicommons

 

The breakdown

In the recording here, performed by the Auckland Philharmonia Orchestra and recorded by RNZ Concert in 2017, you can hear the entire overture, which is 11 minutes in duration. It was conducted by Giordano Bellincampi.

This audio is not downloadable due to copyright restrictions.

00:00

The first movement welcomes the dawn. The prelude - the introduction to the piece - is slow. Cellos and basses start, but then the timpani joins in, ever so slightly. That’s a hint to what is coming in the second movement.

02:44

The second movement is a dynamic piece telling the story of a storm. While it starts softly with violins and violas then wind instruments join in as the pace picks up. The storm is at its most ferocious when the percussion joins. Eventually the storm subsides.

05:17

The third movement will be recognizable to those who grew up watching Disney films. The pastorale movement Ranz des vanches or ‘Call to the cows’ features a cor anglais (English horn). It duets with a flute. This movement has been used in lots of animated movies to represent day break and innocence.

07:41

This is what we’ve all been waiting for. The ‘March of the Swiss soldiers’ features that famous gallop that accompany horse races or car chases in numerous movies. This movement involves the entire orchestra, opened by the heralding trumpets. It tells of the success of the Swiss soldiers who liberated their country from Austrian repression.

Giordano Bellincampi

Giordano Bellincampi Photo: Benjamin Ealovega

 

Rossini’s opera

The opera Guillaume Tell, in which the Overture appears, was Gioachino Rossini’s last. He wrote 39 in total including The Barber of Serville. He was 18 when he penned his first opera.

He also wrote sacred music, chamber music and piano pieces. He was labeled the “Italian Mozart” because of his lyrical melodies – with ‘William Tell’ being a prime example.

His compositions still have an effect on the way music is written now. He would use a repeated phrase and layer it with the orchestra building up excitement. This is now referred to as a “Rossini crescendo”.

Rossini died in Paris in 1868.

Gioacchino Rossini

Gioacchino Rossini Photo: Carjat, Public Domain

 

Want more?

As noted the ‘William Tell Overture’ is one of the most parodied in modern day. We’ve compiled some of our favourite covers from youtube.

Have you got a version to contribute? Email upbeat@radionz.co.nz

 

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