OVERTURE

ON THEMES FROM

THE SONGBOOK

OF HER MAJESTY 

QUEEN LILIʻUOKALANI

 

YEAR

2020

 

INSTRUMENTATION

Full Orchestra:

2222/4331/Timp+2/Hp/Pno/Str

 

Chamber Orchestra:

2222/2200/Timp/Pno/Str

 

DURATION

9 minutes

6 minutes (abridged)

 

COMMISSIONED BY

The University of Hawaiʻi

Symphony Orchestra

 

Joseph Stepec, director

 

FIRST PERFORMANCE

TBA

PROGRAM NOTE

Commissioned by the University of Hawaiʻi Symphony Orchestra for their 2020 Europe Tour, this overture uses themes from the Songbook of Queen Liliʻuokalani. The three themes are taken from the songs Ka ʻŌiwi Nani, Ahe Lau Makani and ending with He Mele Lāhui Hawaiʻi.

 

Ka ʻŌiwi Nani (The Beautiful One) was composed in 1886 and is a love song to a special friend, from which the diary of Liliʻuokalani possibly refers to Henry Berger.

 

Ahe Lau Makani (There Is a Breath) was composed in 1868 and is one of a group of waltzes that Liliʻuokalani composed in close succession. 

 

He Mele Lāhui Hawaiʻi (The Hawaiian National Anthem) was composed in 1874 by Liliʻuokalani to supplant the British Anthem “God Save the Queen” which had been in use for any state-occasion.