Suite Siciliana, Op. 57b

Franco Cesarini has written this piece for concert band as a tribute to the town of Bisacquino (Palermo, Italy) of which he is an honorary citizen.

The Suite Siciliana is a piece characterised by contrasting rhythms and tempo, composed of a series of seven dances (Intrada, Pavana, Gavotta, Barcarola, Tambourin, Siciliana, Tarantella) which also give the names to the 7 mouvements.
 
The musical form, typical of the Baroque period, refers to some traditional expressions of art from the land of Sicily: ranging from the rich architecture of the Sicilian Baroque to the colorful majolica ceramics and the characteristic puppets, the "pupi", which narrate a secular tradition.