William Tell Overture
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
The overture to the opera William Tell, especially its high-energy finale, is a very familiar work composed by Gioachino Rossini. There has been repeated use (and sometimes parody) of this overture in the popular media, most famously for being the theme music for the Lone Ranger media property, and it is quoted by Dmitri Shostakovich in his Symphony No. 15.
The overture is written in four parts, each segueing into the next:
- Prelude - a slow passage with low-pitch instruments such as cello and bass
- Storm - dynamic section played by full orchestra
- Ranz des vaches (call to the dairy cows) - featuring the English horn (this music is often used in animated cartoons to signify daybreak)
- Finale - ultra-dynamic "cavalry charge" galop heralded by trumpets and played by full orchestra. This is the tune used in the Lone Ranger series.
[edit] Media
- William Tell Overture (file info) — play in browser (beta)
- Sodero's band performs part 2 of the overture in 1914.
- Problems listening to the file? See media help.
