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Gilbert & Sullivan

Performances 7-8 June 2023 at Queen Elizabeth Hall, London.

Gilbert & Sullivan’s ‘Princess Ida’ with Orchestra of the Age of Enlightenment performed here less than half a mile from where it was first performed in 1884 at The Savoy Theatre.

The timpani are 24″, 24″ & 27″ Hawkes with thick English calf heads (range is low G up to E). Percussion includes a Dresdner snare drum, early C20 (?) English bass drum, Istanbul cymbals.

Since this part is definitely written for only one player (perhaps a space issue?) the percussion contribution cannot be as involved or interesting as in other G&S works.

Other works premiered around this time include ‘Carmen’, Brahms 4, Dvorak 7, ‘Parsifal’ and ‘Manfred’ Symphony.

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