Carmen Fantasie (Waxman)

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Carmen Fantasie is a virtuoso showpiece for violin and orchestra. [1] The piece is part of Franz Waxman's score to the 1946 movie Humoresque for which he received an Academy Award nomination for Best Music, Scoring of a Dramatic or Comedy Picture. The music, based on various themes from Georges Bizet's opera Carmen and unrelated to the similarly titled work Carmen Fantasy by Pablo de Sarasate, [2] was initially meant to be played by Jascha Heifetz. [3] However, he was replaced by a young Isaac Stern for the film's recording of the score. Stern's hands can be seen in the close-up shots from the movie.

After seeing the film, Heifetz asked Waxman to expand the work because he wanted to play it on the radio program, The Bell Telephone Hour , where it premiered on 9 September 1946. The work has been played since by many virtuoso violinists in concerts. [2] It has also been adapted for a variety of orchestral/chamber arrangements, such as a versions for trumpet and orchestra, for violin and piano, as well as for viola and piano/orchestra. [2] [4]

The score and parts are published by Fidelio Music and is available on IMSLP. [5] [6] It and the rest of Waxman's catalog was acquired by G. Schirmer from the composer's son in 2022. [7]

References

  1. ↑ David Neumeyer; Nathan Platte (6 December 2011). Franz Waxman's Rebecca: A Film Score Guide. Scarecrow Press. pp. 12–. ISBN   978-0-8108-8366-6.
  2. 1 2 3 "Carmen Fantasie program notes", franzwaxman.com, accessed 3 December 2022
  3. ↑ Cynthia Wilson (2011). Always Something New to Discover: Menahem Pressler and the Beaux Arts Trio. Paragon Publishing. pp. 60–. ISBN   978-1-908341-25-9.
  4. ↑ "Franz Waxman (Concert)", Themes & Variations, tnv.net, accessed 3 December 2022 [ failed verification ]
  5. ↑ "Carmen Fantasie (Waxman, Franz)". IMSLP . Retrieved December 27, 2024.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  6. ↑ Waxman, John. "Carmen Fantasie (for violin and orchestra) (1947) (based on themes from the opera of Georges Bizet)". Wise Music Classical . Archived from the original on December 9, 2023. Retrieved December 27, 2024.
  7. ↑ "G. Schirmer acquires Worldwide Publishing of two-time Oscar-winning composer Franz Waxman". Wise Music Classical . February 23, 2022. Archived from the original on December 28, 2024. Retrieved December 27, 2024.
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