Chabrier, Emmanuel: Habanera

Riding on this success of España, Chabrier composed the Habanera in 1885 which was met with equal enthusiasm. It's a beautiful example of the Spanish genre that was so popular with French composers. The piece, actually no more than a trifle, is often played as an 'encore' but in fact it's a jewel in the classical repertoire. Chabrier composed the Habanera originally for piano but it was soon circulated in various arrangements. In 1889 Chabrier himself transcribed the piece for orchestra. Dutch arranger Marcel Baars transcribed this orchestral version for Symphonic Band.