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SCANDALOUS SYMPHONY, op. 29 by Julius Fučík (1872-1916) is arranged by Václav Blahunek. This remarkable work changes styles and moods every few seconds. It is a "tour de force" of musical wit! Mixed Woodwind Trio (2 Clarinet, Bassoon). Score. Grade: 5 Duration: 9:40
From the Václav Blahunek Chamber Music Series.
Background Notes are in the Resources tab.
Scandalous Symphony (score5098.pdf, 193 Kb) [Download]
Background Notes
Julius Fučík (FOO-tcheek) was born in Prague, July 18, 1872 and died in Berlin on September 25, 1916. He was a bassoon player at the German Opera in Prague (1893) and later in Zagreb and Budapest - he studied composition with Antonín Dvořák and became the bandmaster of the 86th and 92nd Austro-Hungarian regiments. He wrote many dances and marches for band including the immensely popular, Entrance of the Gladiators and Florentiner marches. He is often compared to the American John Philip Sousa, America's "March King", yet Fučík pursued his compositional style in many other genres.
Almost no one knows of his chamber music but thanks to the efforts of the 21st-century conductor and clarinetist of the Prague Castle Guard-Police Band, Lieutenant-Colonel Václav Blahunek, this music has been unearthed and performed on its USA 2007 Wisconsin tour. API is proud to bring this magnificent and delightful chamber music to the public!
SCANDALOUS SYMPHONY, opus 29, was written by Julius Fučík at age 23 in Prague for the Czech Wind Trio which he founded. He wrote a number of works for this ensemble of two clarinets and bassoon due to the lack of repertoire available at the time. He played bassoon in the German Theatre Orchestra in Prague and other orchestras upon request.
SCANDALOUS SYMPHONY is filled with "tongue-and-cheek" humor. It is tremendously clever. This "scandalous" work is not disgraceful, but is extremely clever in its design and powerful with its communicative effects! Performers need to perform this work with a sense of imagination to delight in and discover its humor.
SCANDALOUS SYMPHONY, a 9.5 minute work, changes styles and moods every few seconds—it is a "tour de force" of musical wit! Tempo editing is taken from the recorded performances of the Prague Castle Guard Woodwind Trio on its 2007 USA tour.
This work is a beautiful example of the blending of Czech folk musical elements and humor into the classical art music of that era.
—Joel Blahník
Another work to enjoy from API by Fučík is Perpetual Motion (AP-02144). Examine this and other works for the same woodwind ensemble in the on-line API catalog at www.apimusic.org.