The Hebrides Overture (Fingal's Cave) for Saxophone Orchestra by Felix Bartholdy Mendelssohn Woodwind Ensemble - Digital Sheet Music

SKU: A0.956663

This is an arrangement of Mendelssohn’s overture The Hebrides (Fingal’s Cave), intended for a medium-sized saxophone orchestra.  It has been categorised as ‘advanced’, as the length and tempo of the work make it quite challenging.  However, provided the main parts are covered by competent players, those with less experience can either double, judiciously omitting any problem sections, or in some cases opt for the appropriate ‘easier’ add-on part.

Essential Parts:

Part 1: Sopranino Saxophone

Part 2: Soprano Saxophone

Part 3: Alto Saxophone

Part 4: Alto Saxophone

Part 5: Alto Saxophone

Part 6: Tenor Saxophone

Part 7: Tenor Saxophone

Part 8: Baritone Saxophone

Part 9: Bass Saxophone

Optional Parts:

Easier Alto Saxophone

Easier Tenor Saxophone

Contrabass Saxophone

Mendelssohn visited Scotland in 1829 and, after a tour of the Highlands, travelled by steamer from Fort William to Oban and thence to the Hebridean island of Mull.  From there, he made the short boat trip to the small island of Staffa, to visit Fingal’s Cave – a sea cave formed of hexagonal basalt columns, with a highly intriguing natural acoustic.

The Hebrides overture was inspired by this segment of Mendelssohn’s Scottish travels.  The work is an early example of a tone poem: a musical representation of the scenery, wind and weather of the Scottish Hebridean islands, reflecting their sudden and infinite changeability.

After some revisions, the overture received its first performance in May 1832 and remains a favourite with audiences to this day.  It has been central in establishing – and sustaining – the popularity of Fingal’s Cave as a tourist destination.

This is an adaptation of an arrangement that was originally created for a woodwind course held on another Scottish island – Skye, which is the largest and most northerly of the Inner Hebrides.