Cirque de Curiosités

• Composer: Anton Weeren
• Instrumentation: Concert Band
• Duration: Ca. 7:20 min.
• Difficulty: Grade 4

The piece opens with Défilé d’Entrée, a cheerful, quick march where something feels off, as if a step is being skipped here and there. This leads into Magicien Ennuyeux, a waltz depicting the dull and clumsy magician performing his tricks. Pierrot Triste captures the melancholy of the sad clown, followed by Acrobates Maladroits, where the awkward acrobats perform clumsy stunts in a very special mambo. Finally, everything culminates in Animaux Incontrôlables, where circus animals wreak havoc, tearing down the tent in a fast-paced, challenging Csárdás. It’s typical, vivid circus music with a challenging and humorous twist. For the fast and difficult passage in the woodwinds at the end of the piece, there is an alternative, easier version available.

Watch and listen: