Description

HENRY PURCELL: Rondeau, from Abdelazar Suite
Arranged for bassoon quartet by Michael A. Grant
 
Purcell wrote his incidental music for Aphra Behn’s play ‘Abdelazar’ in 1695. It consists of 10 movements, but it is the second of these (‘Rondeau’) that has gone on to enjoy the most popularity. Significantly, it was used as the theme for Benjamin Britten’s set of variations ‘The Young Person’s Guide to the Orchestra’, and was recently chosen as part of the BBC’s educational ‘Ten Pieces’ project for 7- to 14-year-olds.
 
This arrangement can be performed as a bassoon quartet or (by eliminating the optional 4th part) as a trio.