Maids of Cadiz

This Gil Evans arrangement was part of a series of compositions based on classical themes written in the late 1940s for the Claude Thornhill Orchestra. The other titles were La Paloma, The Troubador, The Sabre Dance, Arab Dance, and Spanish Dance. The Maids of Cadiz (Les filles de Cadix) was written by Leo Delibes in 1874 for solo voice and piano. This arrangement was written sometime in late 1949 or early 1950 after Thornhill dropped several musicians including tuba, flutes, and a horn. The arrangement was never recorded and probably never played. It is possible that because Thornhill never performed it Evans was inspired to compose a new arrangement for Miles Davis's Miles Ahead album of 1957. Additionally, Gil Evans composed an adaptation of this arrangement for Kendor Music's publication of 1960. This chart calls for 5 reeds doubling on clarinets and bass clarinets. This publication is based on Gil's score and the original set of parts. However, included is an alternate parts for the horn in F (trombone 3).