Ave Maria - Astor Piazzolla Arr. Luc Vertommen - Euphonium and Piano - now back in stock
	£19.00 Reference:  SMBPAMP Stock:   In stock Quantity: 123456789

This is Piazzolla's beautiful and haunting Ave Maria. This is a brand-new release from Band Press, the company owned by the arranger of this work, Luc Vertommen. This was recently recorded on video by Steven Mead, and you can watch the video here.

PROGRAM NOTES

 Ave Maria (Tanti anni prima – Many years ago) is one of two hauntingly beautiful tunes drawn from Ástor Piazzola’s score for the 1984 Marco Bellocchio film Enrico IV (Henry IV) based on the eponymous play by Luigi Pirandello with the same title, starring Marcello Mastroianni and Claudia Cardinale.

An unnamed Italian aristocrat falls off his horse while playing the role of Henry IV during carnevale festivities. After he comes to, he believes himself to be Henry. For the next twenty years, his family, maintain an elaborate charade in a remote Umbrian villa, staffed with servants hired to play the roles of Henry's privy councillors and simulate the eleventh-century court. During the play it appears that after 12 years of illness, he notices that he is cured, but decides to continue in his role.

The movie contains two of Piazzolla's most beautiful and haunting songs. Of the two songs, Oblivion, which is heard at the close of the movie, became one of Piazzolla’s best known songs and more frequently performed, but Tanti anni prima is no less beautiful. The theme is associated with the character Matilda, a widow whom Henry loved, unrequited, before the accident, portrayed by Claudia Cardinale in the movie.

The song is also known as Ave Maria, a later name most likely given it for commercial reasons  by Piazzolla’s Italian agent, Aldo Pagani. One must agree that the new name fits, the Ave Maria does bring to mind a church organ during a meditative moment. Ave Maria consists of two parts, both with smooth, broad melodic lines to show of the composers lyrically sentimental side. In the second movement more passion and character is requiered especially to colour with the modern, more dissonant chords.

Although originally for oboe and piano, the version for cello and piano is among the more frequently performed. This version for euphonium and piano of Piazzolla’s Ave Maria is arranged by Luc Vertommen.

Highly recommended, sure to be very popular

Duration   4.45

Difficulty level 3.5/6 

Supplied with Solo part in TC, BC in C, and BC in Bb and piano part.