Thom Ritter George

CELEBRATION OVERTURE, CN 268 (1970)

PROGRAM NOTES

Thom Ritter George composed his CELEBRATION OVERTURE as a musical tribute to Beethoven, the renowned German composer who was honored on his 200th birthday in December 1970.  Dr. George completed the overture on November 27, 1970 and led the first performance with the Quincy Symphony Orchestra (Quincy, Illinois) on December 9, 1970.

As is fitting for a score written to celebrate the achievements of Beethoven, the overture is in classical sonatina form.  The tempo is bright and fast throughout and in duple meter.  The first theme of the exposition is agitated with syncopations and is brought forward by solo woodwinds in the key of A minor.  In contrast, the D Major second theme is broad and lyrical.  Since in sonatina form there is no development, the first theme returns immediately, now in D minor, to begin the recapitulation.  It is followed by the second theme, played in A Major, and a coda, also in A Major.

The instrumentation for Celebration Overture is piccolo, two flutes, two oboes, two clarinets, two bassoons, four horns, two trumpets, three trombones, tuba, timpani, percussion, and strings.

(TRGcm:2008.09.09)