Kurt Weill

Kleine Dreigroschenmusik

Kurt Weill (1900-1950) was best-known work is "Die Dreigroschenoper" ("Threepenny Opera") (1928), a reworking of John Gay's "The Beggar's Opera", written in collaboration with Bertolt Brecht. Weill's score shows the influence of jazz and German dance music of the time.
In 1929 the "Kleine Dreigroschenmusik" was published, a suite with music from "Die Dreigroschenoper". The suite was scored for wind ensemble, piano and percussion.
Weill himself was very satisfied with this suite and wrote to his publisher: "I am very content with it. I believe the piece can be played an awful lot, since it is precisely what every conductor wants: a snappy piece to end with". The suite contains 8 movements: "Ouverture", "Die Moritat von Mackie Messer", "Anstatt daß-Song", "Die Ballade vom angenehmen Leben", "Pollys Lied", "Tango Ballade", "Kannonen-Song" and "Dreigroschen-Finale".
Slovenian arranger Gregor Kovacic transcribed this suite for a large Symphonic Band.