Academic Festival Overture

The German composer Johannes Brahms (1833-1897) wrote his Academic Fesival Overture in the summer of 1880, together with the Tragic Overture. The occasion was the honorary degree which Brahms had received a year before from the University of Breslau. Initially, Brahms had sent a thank-you note, but he was expected to express his gratitude with a composition. The premiere took place on 4 January, 1881 - conducted by the composer himself - in Breslau. For this sparkling work, Brahms used various German student songs as a basis in an inventive way - and a little jestingly. Owing to the accessible development, lyrical warmth, humor, and persuasiveness, the Academic Festival Overtureis still a popular concert work. This transcription for concert band, which has been written by Tohru Takahashi, does justice to the original composition.