Servais - Caprice sur des motifs de l’Opéra ‘Le Comte Ory’ de G. Rossini (Urtext Edition, 2 Cellos)

Servais’s Caprice on Themes from Rossini’s Le Comte Ory is a brilliant concert piece based on material from Rossini’s comic opera Le Comte Ory. The work exists in two versions, one for cello and piano and one for two cellos. In both versions, the solo cello part is identical.

In form, the Caprice closely anticipates Servais’s later Fantaisie sur deux Airs Russes, Op. 13, with both works unfolding in two large sections. The first section contains two variations on “Oh voi generosa vedete qual pena,” the a cappella ensemble from Act II, Scene 1, with the theme drawn specifically from the optional piano part of the vocal score. The second section is based on the Count’s cavatina “Astro sereno brilli” from Act I, Scene 3.

This edition is based on the German and French first editions: the Schott edition with piano, the Schott edition with second cello, both published in Mainz in October 1844, and the Troupenas edition with piano. The sources were graciously provided by the Servais Society. Differences between the sources are noted in the footnotes, and any additional deviations from the original text are marked editorially.

ASTA Level: 6