Goossens, Eugene : East of Suez - Suite for piano
Work Overview
Instrumentation：Piano Solo
Genre：suite
Total Playing Time：25 min 50 sec
Copyright：Under Copyright Protection
Commentary (1)
Author : PTNA Piano Encyclopedia Editorial Department
Last Updated: January 1, 2010
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Author : PTNA Piano Encyclopedia Editorial Department
The original work was composed in 1922, commissioned by director Basil Dean for the incidental music to W. Somerset Maugham's play East of Suez. The play was performed 209 times at the Haymarket Theatre in London, and Goossens conducted on the premiere night. The original instrumentation was for a small orchestra, harp, piano, and percussion. In the same year, the first five movements were arranged for piano and published. It is a brilliant work that frequently employs melodies based on the pentatonic scale.
Movements (6)
Prelude to Scene 3 (The Buddhist Temple)
Total Performance Time: 3 min 30 sec
Prelude to Scene 4 (The Andersons' House)
Total Performance Time: 4 min 20 sec
Prelude to Scene 5 (Courtyard of the Temple)
Total Performance Time: 5 min 00 sec