Much Ado About Nothing, Op. 11

Composer: KORNGOLD, Erich Wolfgang
  • Much Ado About Nothing, Op. 11 is an instrumental suite drawn from the incidental music that Korngold wrote for a production of the Shakespeare play. The suite is arranged for both chamber orchestra and violin and piano in five movements:
    1. Overture
    2. The Maiden in the Bridal Chamber
    3. Dogberry And Verges (March Of The Watch)
    4. Scene in the Garden
    5. Masquerade (Hornpipe)
  • In 1918, Korngold was invited to write the incidental music for a production of Shakespeare’s Much Ado About Nothing directed by Max Reinhardt. The premiere of Reinhardt’s production took place at Schönbrunn Palace in 1920. However, four months prior, Korngold had already performed an orchestral suite drawn from the theatrical score.1
  • When the run of the play was extended and the orchestra was unavailable, Korngold arranged the music for violin and piano (playing the piano part himself). Consequently, Much Ado About Nothing is typically performed today either as the original orchestral suite or as a suite for violin and piano.2

Sources

  1. Bernd O. Rachold, “Korngold: Symphony in F Sharp / Suite from ‘Much Ado About Nothing,'” in accompanying booklet, Korngold: Symphony / “Much Ado About Nothing” Suite performed by the London Symphony Orchestra conducted by André Previn, Deutsche Grammophon 453 436-2, 1997, compact disc.
  2. Anthony Burton, “Korngold: Much Ado About Nothing – Suite,” in accompanying booklet, Barber / Korngold: Violin Concertos, Much Ado About Nothing – Suite performed by Gil Shaham and André Previn, Deutsche Grammophon 439 886-2, 1994, compact disc.

Cut IDs

41236 42904 23190 17785 12850 13573 23164