Orchestral Music by Victor Davies
This page contains music for sale or rent (see buttons below each score or work). For perusal scores click Rent Score & Parts.
The works below have been performed on many kinds of concerts. For ideas about how to include them in your programming feel free to contact us.
Explanation of Instrumentation
ANIMAL CAPERS (1983) 5’
Three short lively descriptive animal pieces.
Bear, Alligator, Monkey
Commissioned by Famous People Players for their black light theatre performances.
Premiere: Royal Alexandra Theatre, Toronto, Boris Brott, conductor, August, 1983.
Suitable for children’s concerts.
Difficulty: good youth/community to professional orchestra.
Instrumentation: 2222/3221/timp/2 perc/electric bass/strings.
Score for sale (orchestra parts rental)
THE BIG TOP SUITE (1991) 21’
Colourful tuneful selections of the circus act music from The Big Top (a circus ballet) commissioned by The Royal Winnipeg Ballet.
The Equestrians!; Make Up Mime; The Joeys!(The Clowns); Madame Fifi and Her Amazing Canine Friends! (The Poodles); Jungle Jeopardy! (The Big Cats); Parade of the Acts!;
Finale and Bows!
Suitable for children’s, school, pop or main concerts series.
Difficulty: good youth/community to professional orchestra.
Suite premiere: Toronto Philharmonic Orchestra, Paul Robinson, conductor, Oct 27 1991, also: Toronto Symphony Orchestra, National Arts Centre Orchestra and Saskatoon Symphony Orchestra, Earl Stafford conductor; Mississauga Symphony Orchestra and Georgian Bay Symphony, John Barnum, conductor; Georgetown Symphony Orchestra; Vancouver Youth Symphony Orchestra, Arthur Polson, conductor, also performed on their European and Australian tours; Hamilton Philharmonic Orchestra, Howard Cable, conductor.
Instrumentation: 2222/4331/timp/3-4 perc/harp/piano=Dx7/strings
Score and orchestra parts – rental (also see Dance)
CD of the complete ballet The Big Top includes the sections which make up the Suite.
“Embodies Davies’ versatility, exuberance of style, and renowned mastery of melody and orchestration, transporting audiences of all ages into the irresistible world of the circus”
“The original score is lively and fresh”. Greg Quill - The Toronto Star “ (TV show)
...”this is a wonderful eclectic musical score...” Neil Harris - Winnipeg Free Press (ballet)…”Robinson and the Toronto Philharmonic seemed to love cavorting through the roustabout hilarity Davies has written into his circus music. No wonder the audience cheered him when he took a bow” - Ronald Hambleton – The Toronto Star (premiere of the Suite)
Come to The Big Top Today The Family (clip 1) (clip 2)
CELEBRATIONS (Symphony No. 1) (1969) 25’
A Song and a Dance 10’, an audience pleasing, melodic piece with 60’s baroque rock,
A Very Short Opera 8’, a comic scherzo and confrontation between an evil frog and a princess,
An Allegory 9’, the triumph of an optimistic jig tune over the forces of darkness.
Movements can also be performed separately.
Commissioned by Winnipeg Symphony Orchestra, George Cleve, conductor and Canada Council.
Premiere: Winnipeg Symphony Orchestra, CBC radio and television broadcast October 4 1969.
also Edmonton Symphony Orchestra; and Kitchener Waterloo Symphony Orchestra.
Difficulty: good youth/community to professional orchestra.
Instrumentation: 2222/4331/timp/3-4 perc /harp/ strings.
Score for sale (orchestra parts - rental)
“...a showcase for a symphony orchestra..” Madelaine Bernier -Winnipeg Tribune
DEATH OF A WARRIOR (1982) 5’
A Baroque style piece ala the Albinoni adagio. Used in the film For The Moment as background for the reading of the poem High Flight by Russell Crowe. With the poem, it is an appropriate piece for Remembrance Day programs.
Instrumentation: 2222/2000/timp/perc/strings.
Orchestra score and parts rental
DREAM VARIATIONS (1995) 20’
A set of variations on Rock A Bye Baby, (and other nursery songs) which tell the nursery rhyme story of baby’s falling asleep, adventures in dream land, and waking up.
Commissioned by the Vancouver Youth Symphony Orchestra for combined Senior, Intermediate Orchestras, and Junior Strings.
Premiere: Arthur Polson, conductor May 14 1995, also, FACE Symphony Orchestra Montreal (High School For The Arts), Theodora Stathopoulos, conductor.
Suitable for children’s concerts by professional or community orchestra (and added optional junior strings).
Difficulty: youth/community to professional orchestra (with option of adding junior strings).
Instrumentation: (Can be played by orchestra alone, or with added junior strings).
2, picc, 2, E.H., 2, B.Cl., 2/ 2 (to be played by 4) 331/timp/5 perc, or if professional, 3-4/ piano=synth/harp/strings (with optional junior strings).
Study score, full score for sale (orchestra parts - rental).
On the CD - Celebration! of Vancouver Youth Symphony Orchestra.
Variations 1 Variations 2 Variations 3
FIREWORKS MUSIC (2000) 13’ (Suite from Pan American Games opening ceremony music)
Suitable for fireworks, pop concerts, outdoor events, festive days.
Difficulty: youth/community to professional orchestra.
Premiere: Canada Day fireworks, July 1, 2000, at The Forks of the Red and Assiniboine rivers;
Winnipeg Symphony Orchestra, Bramwell Tovey, conductor.
Instrumentation: 2222/ 4331/timp/2 perc/harp/string.
Orchestra score and parts rental.
On the CD - Music Of The Pan Am Games (contains all sections of the Suite)
GOOD TIMES (Suite for small orchestra) (1979) 22’
Commissioned by the Manitoba Educational Ensemble with the Manitoba Arts Council, for community concerts when a woodwind quintet, brass quintet and quartet of strings come together.
Instrumentation: 1111/2211/strings - (solo strings: 1 violin, 1 viola, 1 cello, 1 bass or a body of strings).
Fugue/Waltz/Ragtime 7’; Prairie Landscapes 8’; Shaleen 5’; Butterfly Dance 4’.
Suitable for community, university or professional orchestra.
Difficulty: good community, university or professional orchestra.
The Butterfly Dance is an often performed and popular piece on Classic FM in the UK.
Performances: Premiere Manitoba Educational Ensemble 1979, Winnipeg, and Manitoba tour, Hamilton Philharmonic Orchestra, Boris Brott conductor; Symphony Nova Scotia, Georg Tintner, conductor; Mississauga Symphony, John Barnum, conductor; East York Symphony; Scarborough Philharmonic; Brandon University Symphony; Niagara Symphony Orchestra; St. John Symphony Orchestra; Boris Brott Music Festival.
CBC broadcast recording 1986, Symphony Nova Scotia, Georg Tintner, conductor.
Score for sale (orchestra parts - rental) also see Chamber
On the CD - The Mennonite Piano Concerto with The London Symphony Orchestra, Boris Brott, conductor, 1989.
“The four movements of the Good Times Suite also emphasizes Davies’ smiling conviction that life is beautiful. In this day and age that’s rare.” James Tircuit - Fanfare Magazine
“Then came Good Times, and very good they were, too. The composer, Davies,...has a delightful melodic gift that’s allied to a broad and beautifully timed sense of humor. …a finely crafted piece“. Hugh Fraser (Hamilton Spectator)
INTERGALACTIC OVERTURE (formerly Genesis) (1982) 4’
An overture with a space theme.
Music from 1971 planetarium production The Beginning And End Of The World.
Suitable for good youth/community orchestra to professional.
Premiere: Kitchener Waterloo Symphony Orchestra, Victor Davies, conductor, also Hamilton Philharmonic Orchestra, Boris Brott, conductor.
Instrumentation: 2222/4331/timp/2-3 perc (drum set)/electric bass/strings/and
children’s chorus (high voices) or saxophone or synthesizer.
Score for sale (orchestra parts - rental) also see Choral
On the CD The Beginning And End Of The World as Genesis
ITALIAN MEDLEY (1999) 9’
A medley of traditional Italian melodies: Santa Lucia; O Sole Mio; Vieni Sul Mar; Il Carnevale Di Venezia (The Carnival In Venice); La Paloma; Funiculi, Funicula.
Suitable for good youth/community to professional orchestra.
Performances: Hamilton Philharmonic Orchestra, Michael Reason, conductor, plus many US community orchestras.
Instrumentation: 2222/4331/timp/3 perc/harp/piano /strings.
Score and orchestra parts – rental.
JEWISH MEDLEY (1976) 9’
A medley of traditional Jewish melodies: Ofen Pripetchok; Tum-bala Tumbala; Bay Mayn Rebn Iz Geven; Der Fidler; Arum Dem Fayer.
Suitable for good youth/community to professional orchestra.
Premiere: Winnipeg Symphony Orchestra; Aaron Charloff, conductor, October 20, 1976, also US orchestras.
Instrumentation: 2222/4331/timp/3 perc/harp piano/strings.
Score and orchestra parts – rental.
JUPITER TRAIN (Overture for orchestra) (1990) 9’
The story of a Sci-Fi rescue of two friends from evil interplanetary forces by the Jupiter Train space shuttle.
Energetic Latin & Jazz elements alternate with a soaring melody in the middle section.
Commissioned for Sir John A. Macdonald High School Symphony, by the Ty-Mac Parents Association.
Premiere: Ty-Mac Symphony Orchestra, Victor Davies, conductor, April 26 1990.
Professional premiere: Toronto Pops Orchestra Norman Rientam, conductor, May 5, 1990;
also Montreal Symphony Orchestra, Marc Fortier conductor.
Recorded by Vancouver Youth Symphony Orchestra (own label); Arthur Polson, conductor.
Suitable for high school, youth or community orchestra, professional pop concerts.
Instrumentation: 3232/4331 /timp/2-3 perc/ keyboards/4 saxes (optional)/strings.
Score for sale (orchestra parts - rental)
Music on CD Rhapsody On Rails, VYSO 2-1995.
LET’S TALK! (conversations for Big Band and Orchestra) (1984) 16’
Jazz and Latin elements are the main ingredients in a set of high energy variations as orchestra
and band combine with a sweeping lyrical theme in the middle section.
Commissioned by the CJRT Radio, Xerox Canada and The Ontario Arts Council.
Premiered by CJRT (Radio) Orchestra and The Boss Brass; Paul Robinson, conductor, December 1984.
Also, The Boss Brass and Calgary Philharmonic Orchestra, conducted by Mario Bernardi;
Hamilton Philharmonic, and The Hamilton All Star Band, Michael Reason, conductor.
Features solos for both groups, with ad lib solos for the big band.
Suitable for very good university level to professional orchestra and big band.
Inspired by Duke Ellington’s visits to Toronto.
Instrumentation: Orchestra: 2222/ 4331/timp/perc./strings.
Big Band: 5 trpts/5 trbs/5 saxes: (asax 1.=picc+ssax; asax 2.=fl+cl; tsax 1. & 2.=fl & cl;
barsax= fl+bcl) /electric guitar/ bass /piano/drums /percussion.
Score for sale (orchestra parts - rental) also see Orchestra with solo
Let's Talk (Intro) Let's Talk (2)
OPENING AND CLOSING CEREMONIES MUSIC from the XIII Pan American Games (1999)
All selections on the CD Music Of The Pan Am Games
Children Of The World see Vocal, Choral
City Of The Plains see Vocal, Choral
Fanfare For The Flame see Brass
Heart Of The Continent (The Seasons) see Orchestra, Vocal, Dance
Ode To The Athletes see Vocal, Choral
Reach Out Go For Gold see Vocal
Symphonic Marches see Orchestra
Go For Gold (minimusical about sport) see Musical Theatre
“Heard by 400,000,000 viewers on TV throughout the Americas.”
"The music was spectacular" Globe and Mail July 1999
Welcome The Champions Glory Of The Games
RHAPSODY - Four Dances For Strings (1998) 21’
Jazz, Latin, rock, blues, ragtime and salon flavours combine in a mix of fun and melody for players and audience.
String orchestration of the string quartet Fun For Four.
Disco-Bossa 7’; The Magic Carpet 5’; Blues-Ragtime 5’; Mainstreet 4’.
Premiere: Hamilton Philharmonic Orchestra; Michael Reason, conductor, April 1999, also McGill Chamber Orchestra, Boris Brott, conductor (Montreal); FACE Chamber Orchestra (Montreal) (High School For The Arts) Theodora Stathopoulos, conductor; Montreal Chamber Orchestra.
Difficulty: good youth orchestra to professional.
Score for sale (orchestra parts - rental) also see Chamber
Fun For Four on the CD Silhouettes, and The Music Of Victor Davies
THE SEASONS (Suite For Orchestra) (1999) 10’ (Heart of the Continent)
A celebration of the changing seasons – music from the Pan Am Games opening ceremonies.
Autumn Splendour 3’, a pulsing jazz opening with a fiery fast paced ostinato driven ending;
Winter Dreams 3’, magical and evocative of winter’s icy splendour with a beautiful grand waltz;
Spring Rhapsody 3’, a lush evocation of the season of awakening featuring the chorus;
Summer Fire 3’, festive and fun, a fast mambo finale featuring percussion.
Suitable for community or professional orchestra.
Instrumentation 2222/4331/timp/2 perc/harp/strings/chorus SATB. (vocalise)
Piano/rehearsal/vocal score for sale. (Orchestra score and parts - rental) also see Choral, Dance
On the CD Music Of The Pan Am Games
A SHORT SYMPHONY (for Winnipeg) (Symphony No. 2) (1974) 23’
Dedicated to the people of Winnipeg and performed several times to acclaim because of its tuneful,
rhythmic and descriptive nature.
Glory, Glory 7’; The Comet 6’; Romance 4’; Jubilee 6’.
Commissioned by the Winnipeg Symphony Orchestra and Canada Council.
Premiere: Winnipeg Symphony Orchestra; Piero Gamba, conductor, 1974; CBC Radio broadcast 1974;
also Winnipeg Symphony Orchestra, Victor Davies, conductor.
Suitable for main concert series, pop, classics concerts.
Difficulty: for good youth/community to professional orchestra.
Instrumentation: 2222/4331/timp/2 perc/strings.
Score for sale (orchestra parts - rental)
”..a lyrical score...redolent of racetracks and southern bayous... conducted by Victor Davies... it was given a lovely performance by the orchestra.“ Shiela Nathan - Winnipeg Tribune
SYMPHONIC MARCHES from the XIII Pan American Games (1999)
Welcome The Champions 3 ’- a triumphant march.
The Glory Of The Games 3’ - a stately march.
North and South On Parade 3’ - a march in the spirit of John Philip Sousa (brass and percussion).
The Mosquito March 3’ - delightful fast-paced and fun - hear the mosquitoes - Canada’s official insect!
Pan Am Fiesta 4’ - a hot fast mambo march.
I Want To Be A Champion Too! 3’ - a rock ballad march.
Canada’s Here! 2’ - a rousing, noble, grand fanfare melody heralding Canada’s team entry into the stadium.
The Geese 2’ - a stirring and majestic melody with the grandeur and scale of the Canadian landscape celebrating the great flights of geese heralding autumn and spring.
Suitable for main concert series, pop, concerts with sport theme, classics concerts.
Difficulty: for good youth/community to professional orchestra.
Instrumentation: (All of the above) 2222/4331/timp/1-2 perc/harp/ strings (also chorus The Geese only) (also rhythm: piano, bass, guitar, drums in Pan Am Fiesta and I Want To A Be Champion Too!).
Scores for sale (orchestra parts - rental).
All of the above on the CD of Music of the Pan American Games
Welcome The Champions Glory Of The Games
VARIATIONS No. 2 (for orchestra) (1964) 12’
Premiere: Winnipeg Symphony Orchestra, Victor Feldbrill, conductor. Chosen to represent Manitoba at Centennial Workshop, July 1967.
Instrumentation: 3332/4331/timp/3 perc/harp/strings.
Score for sale (orchestra parts - rental).