Score
Flute 1
Flute 2
Piccolo
Oboe
Bassoon
Eb Clarinet
Bb Clarinet 1 (div.)
Bb Clarinet 2 (div.)
Bb Clarinet 3 (div.)
Eb Alto Clarinet
Bb Bass Clarinet
Eb Alto Saxophone 1
Eb Alto Saxophone 2
Bb Tenor Saxophone
Eb Baritone Saxophone
Bb Trumpet 1
Bb Trumpet 2
Bb Trumpet 3
F Horn 1/2
F Horn 3/4
Trombone 1
Trombone 2
Trombone 3
Euphonium (div.)
Tuba
String Bass
Timpani
[Percussion 1] Snare Drum, Bass Drum, Triangle, Tambourine, Tam-Tam, Chimes
[Percussion 2] Bass Drum, Triangle, Tambourine, Suspended Cymbal, Glockenspiel
[Percussion 3] Bass Drum, Cymbals, Suspended Cymbal, Castanet, Marimba, Chimes
Originally a piece for the solo violin, Ferruccio Busoni has arranged this piece for the piano, so well it fully utilizes the piano's characteristics and seems like a composition of his own.
As for my arrangement though, I sought sounds unique only to the wind band instead, sounds unattainable with a piano or an orchestra. It might be interesting to relate this rendition to its original form, an ancient Spanish dance, rather than to the original composition by Bach, which features the solo violin. The rich sound, sometimes comparable to an organ's, and the variety of tone colors produced by the wind band, are some aspects to look out for through this arrangement.
The chaconne starts with a beautiful harmony featuring three trombones, having been inspired by a friend's suggestion. Although this arrangement is abbreviated to about half the length of the original, I retained, however, the balance of the three sections, D minor-D major-D minor, in the golden ratio, similar to the original.
ITO Yasuhide
(Program for the premiere in 1987)
