Description
Briccialdi Carnival of Venice Op 78-Two Flutes and Piano
Briccialdi Carnival of Venice Op 78-Two Flutes and Piano
Publisher-Little Piper
Briccialdi IL Carnevale Di Venezia Op 78
Carnevale di Venezia / The Carnival of Venice
Arranger Arranger: Ervin Monroe
Instrumentation: For 1 or 2 Flutes & Piano
A Note from Ervin Monrow (The Arranger)
‘The Carnival of Venice is one of the most popular melodies of all time. Certainly, much of the popularity stems from the fact that the melody is so conducive to arrangement and ornamentation. There have been endless sets of variations built on this theme, and at least five famous flautists in the late eighteen hundreds composed sets of variations to this quaint melody.
Giulio Briccialdi (1818 – 1881) was a very famous Italian flautist whose virtuosity earned him the nickname Paganini of the Flute. His set of variations to the Carnival of Venice has proved over these many years to be one of the most popular renditions of this piece. A sketch of Giulio Briccialdi is shown on page twenty-three of this book.
This edition of mine goes considerably further with this work than some of the other editions of his variations released in the twentieth century. I have added a second soloist to the original composition. The result has proven to be a very effective concert thriller.
Other than adding the additional second part, I have made a few small changes that I feel enhance the effectiveness of the piece. In performance, I have also found that the music can become quite entertaining and humorous with unexpected changes in tempo, exaggerated facial expressions, and Shakespearian-esque asides or side comments to the audience.
Performers should use their own creativity in staging the work. The result will add even more audience appeal to this already technically captivating number.
Have fun!’ Ervin Monroe
Giulio Briccialdi-Flautist/Composer
Briccialdi (1818-1881) was an Italian virtuoso flautist, professor of flute, composer and flute technician and innovator who made significant contributions to the modern-day flute. In particular, he invented the Bb thumb key for the Boehm system flute.
Born in Terni, Italy, he began his flute studies with his father and continued in Rome. He rapidly gained recognition as an esteemed performer securing notable positions including flute professor for the Count of Syracuse, brother of King Ferdinand of Bourbon of Naples. In 1871, he became a flute professor at the Florence Conservatory, where his own flute model was adopted.
As a composer, Briccialdi focused primarily on creating paraphrases and variations of operatic themes, a genre immensely popular among audiences. He wrote a vast array of compositions including vocal music, symphonic works and operas. He also wrote an incredible 183 works for flute for the following combinations:
Flute and Piano: Works on Operatic Themes
Flute and Piano: Transcriptions of Non-Operatic Works
Two Flutes and Piano
Solo Flute
Two Flutes
Four Flutes
Chamber Music
Flute(s) and Orchestra
https://www.giuliobriccialdi.com/
Arranger-Ervin Monroe
Ervin Monroe is a highly versatile musician, skilled as a flautist, composer, arranger, conductor, and entrepreneur. While in high school, he became Principal flautist in the Pensacola Florida Symphony. After attending Oberlin Conservatory, he studied in Austria at age 19, performing with the Mozarteum Orchestra in Salzburg. While offered a permanent position, he chose to complete his musical studies in the US and pursue a spot in a major American symphony.
During his master’s at the Manhattan School of Music, Monroe was hired as principal flautist for tours of prestigious ballet companies, including the Bolshoi and Royal Danish Ballets. At 23, he played in the Chamber Symphony of Philadelphia, recording chamber music for RCA Red Label Classics. Later, he became Principal flautist of the Detroit Symphony, holding the position for 40 years until retiring in 2008.
Monroe actively contributed to the National Flute Association, serving on the board and as president. His book, “Special Fingerings for Advanced Flautists,” was lauded by the NFA as the top Newly Published Pedagogical Book in 2012. He was a faculty member at Wayne State and Oakland universities, a visiting professor at institutions like the University of Michigan, and has given masterclasses and lectures for over 50 years.
In the 1970s, Monroe started Little Piper, a publishing company specialising in flute music, now sold worldwide. In 1995, he was appointed by the president of Muramatsu Inc. in Japan to head Muramatsu America, a North American company representing and distributing Muramatsu flutes. Monroe’s musical ventures extend to jazz combos, rock-and-roll groups recording for London Records, and contributing to Motown’s greatest hits. His teachers include Robert Willoughby, Harold Bennett, and William Kincaid.
https://www.nfaonline.org/about/achievement-awards/ervin-monroe
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