Tosca
Giacomo Puccini
Reduced Orchestration: 1(picc)011 1100 11111 harp timp/perc organ(opt)
Flute/Piccolo, Clarinet, Bassoon, Horn, Trumpet, Violin I, Violin II, Viola, Cello, Double Bass, Harp, Organ (optional), Timpani/Percussion
This orchestral reduction of Puccini’s Tosca is aimed for performance using thirteen players.
The arrangement also works with multiple strings (ie, up to 44322). There is one set of string parts with indications to the players as to which lines they should play depending on whether the opera is being performed on ‘single strings’ or ‘multiple strings’.
The thirteenth player is the organist. The organ part is Puccini’s original organ part and appears in the ‘te deum’ at the end of Act 1 (it is sometimes played ‘off-stage’). An organ part is not provided as it exists in most vocal scores. The part is optional as the organ music is written into the wind parts in the event that an organ is not available.