Sinfonia Caroliniana

Short and compact, Sinfonia Caroliniana is structured in three movements, fast-slow-fast, as were the early 18th-century Italian opera overtures called “sinfonias.” Like them, this piece is tonally centered (E-flat - C - E-flat) but uses current harmonic spectrums.

Program Notes

Sinfonia Caroliniana is the sixteenth of Hartley’s works to use “sinfonia” in its title and the sixth of these for symphonic wind ensemble (including Sinfonia I, IV, IX, and XIV). The second word refers to the excellent musicians of the University of North Carolina at Charlotte Symphonic Wind Ensemble, and their director, Dr. Laurence L. Marks, for whom the work was written, to whom it is dedicated, and who premiered it on February 25, 2006 at the Southern Division Conference of the College Band Directors National Association. The title also reflects the composer’s delight “in the welcoming spirit my wife and I have encountered since moving to North Carolina in 2004.”

Some of the melodic material in the piece is based on the pentatonic scale typically found in Southern hymnody, which has inspired some of his other recent compositions. “As with most of my other Sinfonias, this one is a short and compact symphony structured in three movements, fast-slow-fast, as were the early 18th-century Italian opera overtures called “sinfonias.” Like them, this piece is tonally centered (E-flat - C - E-flat) but uses current harmonic spectrums.

Grade Level: 5
Copyright: 2007
Number of Players: Standard
Duration: 8:00
Publisher: C. Alan Publications
Category: Concert Band

Listen to Recordings

Instrumentation

Piccolo
Flute 1
Flute 2
Oboe 1/2
Bassoon 1/2
Bb Clarinet 1
Bb Clarinet 2
Bb Clarinet 3
Bass Clarinet
Alto Saxophone 1/2
Tenor Saxophone
Baritone Saxophone

Bb Trumpet 1
Bb Trumpet 2
Bb Trumpet 3
Horn 1/2
Horn 3/4
Trombone 1/2
Trombone 3
Euphonium
Tuba

String Bass
Harp

Timpani
Percusison 1 (Xylophone, Chimes, Suspended Cymbal)
Percussion 2 (Suspended Cymbal, Snare Drum, Bass Drum, Tenor Drum, Chimes)