Hi Ho Silver! A familiar theme to start the season

We open our first concert of the 70th season with Rossini’s Overture to William Tell. Rossini was the most successful operatic composer of his day. He wrote 38 operas in almost 20 years, 28 of them between 1812 and 1819. He wrote his final opera, Guillaume Tell, in 1829.

Based on a work by Schiller, the opera tells the story of William Tell, the legendary Swiss hero, during the Swiss fight for independence from the Austrian Hapsburgs in the 14th century. A noted marksman, Tell refuses to bow to a hat set up on a pole by the Austrian governor. The governor arrests him and promises to free Tell if he can shoot an apple off of his son’s head. Tell is successful but says that if he failed he would have shot the governor and is imprisoned again. Eventually, Tell is freed long enough to kill the governor, which leads to a successful revolt by the Swiss.

The 12-minute piece is comprised of four parts. Five solo cellos and the basses open the work, heralding the Dawn. The Storm section features a slow build, starting with wind from the strings and raindrops in the woodwinds growing to a violent storm with brass blaring and drums rolling. The Ranz des Vaches is a familiar tune carried by the English horn and the flute. Finally, the March of the Swiss Soldiers alludes to the final act, where Swiss soldiers are victorious over the Austrians.

Of course, the overture’s themes have been heard all over the pop culture landscape, most notably as the theme to “The Lone Ranger.” And its themes can be heard in Bugs Bunny and Mickey Mouse cartoons, A Clockwork Orange and many television ads.