I Masnadieri Giuseppe Verdi / Arr. Gerard Posch

Titel / Title: I Masnadieri
Untertitel / Subtitle: Prelude
Herausgeber / Publisher: Baton Music
Instrumentation: Cello / Alto Saxophone amd concert band
Produkttyp / Product: Partitur + Stimmen
Serie / Series: Baton Music solo series

I Masnadieri' ('The Robbers') is an opera in four acts by Giuseppe Verdi to an by Andrea Maffei, based on the play 'Die Räuber' by Friedrich von Schiller. As Verdi became more successful in Italy, he began to receive offers from other opera houses outside the country. The London impresario Benjamin Lumley had presented 'Ernani' in 1845 and, as a result of its success, commissioned an opera from the composer which became 'I Masnadieri'. While reasonably successful in London and in Italy up to the mid-1860s, the opera disappeared for about 90 years until revived in 1951. The prelude of 'I Masnadieri' is in fact a Cello solo and in this it differs from other Verdi overtures and preludes. Dutch arranger Gerard Posch transcribed this prelude for Cello and Symphonic Band. The Cello part can also be played by an Alto Saxophone.