Michael Horvit

Circus Suite

Michael Horvit (b. 1932) studied composition at Yale, Harvard, and Boston Universities, and his teachers include Aaron Copland, Lukas Foss, Walter Piston, Quincy Porter, and Gardner Read.

This suite is in five movements, each one describing a different aspect of 'The Greatest Show on Earth'. The first movement is a spirited and cheerful 'March'. In movement 2, 'Lions and Tigers', one hears the big cats slinking, roaring and pouncing to the cracks of the whip. The great, majestic 'Elephants' come next, making their stately progress across the arena, followed by the airy grace and sinuous beauty of 'The Flying Trapeze'. 'Clowns', everyone's favorites, bring the suite to a whimsical, puckish conclusion. This piece is part of 'The Complete Hornist' series, edited by Thomas Bacon.