Hamlet: A Shakespeare Scenario

for large orchestra and speaker (optional)

arranged by Christopher Palmer

General Information – Instrumentation – Publication – Recordings

General Information:

Arrangement:
Arranged by Christopher Palmer, from the music for the film Hamlet, composed 1947.

First Performance:
Unknown

Duration:
About 40 minutes

Movements:
The conductor may make his/her own selection of movements to be performed. The second and fifth movements are recommended only for broadcast or recording, and not for concert performance.

     1.   Prelude
2.   Fanfare and Soliloquy
3.   The Ghost
4.   Hamlet and Ophelia
 5.   The Question. 'To be or not to be'    
6.   The Mousetrap
7.   Death of Ophelia
8.   Retribution and Threnody
9.   Finale, Funeral March

Craggs Catalogue Number:
C54c

Instrumentation:

Speaker solo (optional)  [in second and fifth movements only]

3 flutes, 3 oboes, 3 clarinets, clarinet in E-flat, 3 bassoons – 4 horns, 3 trumpets, 3 trombones, tuba – timpani, 4 percussion – 1 or 2 harps – piano (doubling celesta and harpsichord) – strings

Movements 2 and 9 include the following additional instruments ad lib.:
3 more trumpets, 3 more trombones, 2 more percussion (military drum, tenor drum)

Publication:

Oxford University Press. Score and parts are available on hire.

Recordings:

Speaker

Orchestra

Conductor

Year

Compact Disc

Timing

Sir John Gielgud

Academy of St. Martin-in-the-Fields

Sir Neville Marriner

1989

Chandos CHAN 8842

39'10"
Michael Sheen RTÉ Concert Orchestra Andrew Penny 1995 Naxos 8.553344 40'13"

 

WilliamWalton.net – Catalogue of Works – Orchestral Music – Solo Vocal Music – Hamlet