- In 1942, Ireland composed the incidental music (music that accompanies a theatrical work) for a BBC wartime production broadcast of Shakespeare’s Julius Caesar.
- Although the music for this production is referred to as “orchestral music,” it was actually written for wind band.1
- Ireland’s pupil, Geoffrey Bush, later arranged moments from Ireland’s incidental music into a series of themes:2
- Scherzo – includes music celebrating the Feast of the Lupercal in Act 1, Scene 2 of the play paired with a motif used in the crowd scenes.
- Cortège – includes music from Ireland’s original overture, themes associated with Brutus and Cassius, and music from the two funeral processions (Act 3, Scene 2 and Act 5, Scene 5).
- The piece as a whole opens and closes with Caesar’s ceremonial trumpet fanfare.3
Sources
- Lewis Foreman, “Scherzo and Cortège on themes from Julius Caesar arranged by Geoffrey Bush” in accompanying essay, Ireland: Satyricon / Tritons / The Overlanders performed by the London Symphony Orchestra conducted by Richard Hickox, CHAN 8994, 1991, compact disc.
- Ibid.
- Geoffrey Bush, Essay in accompanying booklet, Boult Conducts John Ireland performed by the London Philharmonic Orchestra conducted by Sir Adrian Boult, Lyrita 0240, 2014, compact disc.
Cut IDs
24649