Carl Maria von Weber

Invitation to dance

This is an arrangement of Carl Maria von Weber’s ‘Invitation to the Dance’. The original composition is in D-flat major and is unplayable for pupils and music lovers. Weber also wrote very demanding rapid passages and arpeggios in the last section, which would make no sense in an orchestral version; they have thus been omitted.


A wind sextet (2 flutes, oboe, 2 clarinets, bassoon) and as many strings as possible are needed for a performance of the work. A double bass is not obligatory. The brass section can be composed of what is in any case found in the orchestra and even 2-3 brass instruments are perfectly adequate for the arrangement. A full complement is of course better.


Piano or accordion or both are not absolutely essential, nor are what would ideally be several or slightly amplified guitars. However, since there are many pianists and guitarists who are otherwise never given the chance to join the orchestral forces, having such performers shouldn’t present any problems, especially in a music school.


It is not essential to have timpani or percussion.


The score is in C while the individual parts are notated in the key of the particular instrument.


The arrangement ranges from moderately difficult to difficult; the performance time is approx. 7-8 minutes.