Download set (Score & Parts)
Debussy's early work, "Marche Ecossaise sur un Theme Populaire" composed in 1891, is said to have been his first commissioned work.
The commission was made by General Meredith Reid, a descendant of the former Scottish Countess of Ross, which was why the score published in 1891 was titled "The March of the Countess of Ross in Ancient Times". It was composed as a piano piece for four hands, but it seems that Debussy was thinking about making this work for orchestra from an early stage, and the orchestra version was completed in 1908.
Commissioned by Shiba Higashi Junior High School Band (Sankichi Tozaki, director) for their ensemble contest in 2011. This woodwind octet includes some additions and corrections for the publication.
Although it is named "March", its character and composition are very different from those of general marches. The beginning starts with a march-like 2/4, but in the middle tempo decreases significantly and becomes more like a "slow movement" rather than a "trio". In the second half, 6/8 and 2/4 meters are complicatedly intertwined and the tempo gradually increases, and it ends in 6/8 different from the beginning.
The theme presented at the beginning develops in various ways. It is important to fully understand the character of each section as described above and then to construct the melody, accompaniment and rhythm.
(Makoto Onodera)
