Turandot, prinzessin von China

music drama, 3 acts, 1950-51†, 3136 bars, 155:00

‘Ein tragikomisches Märchen nach Gozzi von Schiller’
Vocal score: 'pencil sketches completed 7 June 1950, ink copy completed 13 September July 1950'
Full score dated 18 May 1951

Turandot (soprano)
Zelina, a slave of Turandot (mezzo)
Skirina, Zelina’s mother (mezzo)
Adelina, a Tartar princess, Turandot’s slave (alto)
Kalaf, prince of Astrakhan (tenor)
Ismail, companion to the Prince of Samarkand (tenor)
Barak, Skirina’s husband (baritone)
Tartaglia, a minister (baritone)
Pantalon, chancellor (baritone)
Brigella, captain of the watch (baritone)
Altoun (bass)
Doctors of the Diwan (4 tenors, 4 basses)
Truffaldino, overseer of the eunuchs (mimed role)
3 flutes (2 also piccolo), 2 oboes, cor anglais, 2 clarinets, Eb clarinet, bass clarinet, 3 bassoons (1 also contra), 4 horns, 4 trumpets, 3 trombones, tuba, timpani, bass drum, 3 side drums, cymbals, triangle, tambourine, castanets, tam-tam, bell in G, xylophone, glockenspiel, celesta, 2 harps, strings

Act I
  Prelude [135 bars], 8:00
  Scene 1: The environs of Pekin [305 bars], 16:00
  Scene 2: The environs of Pekin [108 bars], 5:00
  Acene 3 [149 bars], 7:00
Act II
  Prelude [97 bars], 5:00
  Scene 1: Great Hall of the Divan [399 bars], 15:00
  Scene 2 [887 bars], 43:00
Act III
  Scene 1: A magnificent room [454 bars], 25:00
  Scene 2: Great Hall of the Divan [495 bars], 34:00

Text: abridged by the composer; set in German; no English translation, Friedrich von Schiller

Unpublished

Derived works

• Three pieces from Turandot [from Turandot, prinzessin von China Act I] [orch] extracted by HB, 1962 – 19´
• Minuet and funeral march [from Turandot, prinzessin von China Act II, Scene 1; Act III, Scene 2] [piano] trans MacDonald and Stevenson 1973
• Turandot Suite [from Turandot, prinzessin von China Acts II and III] [6 pieces] [orch] arr MacDonald 1975 – 23´

Articles

• Tour d’horizon autour de Turandot – Malcolm MacDonald

Performances

Minuet and funeral march [from Turandot, prinzessin von China Act II, Scene 1; Act III, Scene 2] [piano] trans MacDonald and Stevenson 1973
3 May 1973 [first performance] Reid Concert Hall, University of Edinburgh
Ronald Stevenson
Minuet and funeral march [from Turandot, prinzessin von China Act II, Scene 1; Act III, Scene 2] [piano] trans MacDonald and Stevenson 1973
5 May 1973 Wigmore Hall, London
Ronald Stevenson
Minuet and funeral march [from Turandot, prinzessin von China Act II, Scene 1; Act III, Scene 2] [piano] trans MacDonald and Stevenson 1973
30 January 1976
Ronald Stevenson
Minuet and funeral march [from Turandot, prinzessin von China Act II, Scene 1; Act III, Scene 2] [piano] trans MacDonald and Stevenson 1973
25 July 1976
BBC Radio 3
Ronald Stevenson
Minuet and funeral march [from Turandot, prinzessin von China Act II, Scene 1; Act III, Scene 2] [piano] trans MacDonald and Stevenson 1973
5 December 1976 (Funeral march only) Victoria Theatre, Stoke on Trent
Ronald Stevenson
Minuet and funeral march [from Turandot, prinzessin von China Act II, Scene 1; Act III, Scene 2] [piano] trans MacDonald and Stevenson 1973
22 March 1977
BBC Radio 3
Ronald Stevenson
Minuet and funeral march [from Turandot, prinzessin von China Act II, Scene 1; Act III, Scene 2] [piano] trans MacDonald and Stevenson 1973
29 April 1977 (Funeral march only) Mitchell Hall, Aberdeen University
Ronald Stevenson
Minuet and funeral march [from Turandot, prinzessin von China Act II, Scene 1; Act III, Scene 2] [piano] trans MacDonald and Stevenson 1973
9 March 1978 Royal Exchange Theatre, Manchester
6 May 1978 BBC Radio Manchester
Ronald Stevenson
Minuet and funeral march [from Turandot, prinzessin von China Act II, Scene 1; Act III, Scene 2] [piano] trans MacDonald and Stevenson 1973
February 1981
Peter Hill
Minuet and funeral march [from Turandot, prinzessin von China Act II, Scene 1; Act III, Scene 2] [piano] trans MacDonald and Stevenson 1973
31 March 1988
Raymond Clarke
Minuet and funeral march [from Turandot, prinzessin von China Act II, Scene 1; Act III, Scene 2] [piano] trans MacDonald and Stevenson 1973
12 June 1992 (Funeral march only) Stephen Joseph Room, Newcastle under Lyme
Ronald Stevenson
Three pieces from Turandot [from Turandot, prinzessin von China Act I] [orch] extracted by HB, 1962 – 19´
27 May 1995 [first performance] St James’ Church, Piccadilly, London
Millennium Sinfonia, conductor James Kelleher
• A view from the rostrum – James Kelleher
Turandot Suite [from Turandot, prinzessin von China Acts II and III] [6 pieces] [orch] arr MacDonald 1975 – 23´
27 May 1995 [first performance] St James’ Church, Piccadilly, London
Millennium Sinfonia, conductor James Kelleher
• A view from the rostrum – James Kelleher
Three pieces from Turandot [from Turandot, prinzessin von China Act I] [orch] extracted by HB, 1962 – 19´
25/26 June 2009 City Halls, Glasgow
BBC Scottish Symphony Orchestra, conductor Garry Walker
Turandot Suite [from Turandot, prinzessin von China Acts II and III] [6 pieces] [orch] arr MacDonald 1975 – 23´
25/26 June 2009 City Halls, Glasgow
BBC Scottish Symphony Orchestra, conductor Garry Walker

Recordings

Minuet and funeral march [from Turandot, prinzessin von China Act II, Scene 1; Act III, Scene 2] [piano] trans MacDonald and Stevenson 1973
Cameo Classics CC9016CD released 2011
February 1981
Peter Hill
Three pieces from Turandot [from Turandot, prinzessin von China Act I] [orch] extracted by HB, 1962 – 19´
Toccata Classics TOCC 0113 released December 2011
25/26 June 2009 City Halls, Glasgow
BBC Scottish Symphony Orchestra, conductor Garry Walker