Für Elise Bagatelle No. 25 in A minor (Ludwig van Beethoven)

• bassoon, clarinet, flute, guitar, or saxophone quintet

• ca. 3:00

Program Notes

• Bagatelle No. 25 in A minor is one of the most widely known pieces for solo piano in the world. A bagatelle is generally a short, lighthearted piece of music, and the structure of this piece is a five-part rondo [A - B - A - C - A]. Für Elise was composed in 1810 , and the identity of Elise is unknown. Researchers suggest it may have been dedicated to a ‘Therese’ instead of an ‘Elise,’ and the copywriter, Ludwig Nohl, simply misread what Beethoven wrote. Beethoven was never truly satisfied with the piece, and it wasn’t published until 1865, nearly forty years after the composer’s death.

Quartet Instrumentation

• Bassoon Quartet:

  • Bassoon 1-4

• Clarinet Quartet

  • Bb Clarinet 1-3

  • Bass Clarinet

• Flute Quartet

  • Flute 1-3

  • Alto Flute

• Guitar Quartet

  • Guitar 1-3

  • Bass Guitar

• Saxophone Quartet

  • Soprano Saxophone

  • Alto Saxophone

  • Tenor Saxophone

  • Baritone Saxophone