Soldiers’ Chorus (Part I – “Or co’ dadi”) from Il Trovatore (string quartet)

Title: Soldiers’ Chorus (Part I – “Or co’ dadi”) from the opera Il Trovatore

Composer: Giuseppe Verdi, arr. David Gable

Instrumentation: Violin 1, Violin 2, Viola and Cello

Printout: 8 pages

Note: At the beginning of Act III of Il Trovatore (“The Troubadour”) the soldiers of Count di Luna’s army sing “or co’ dadi” (“now we play at dice”) as they cheerfully prepare themselves for battle. Despite its dark context, Or co’ dadi is a spirited, march-like piece. It is well suited for wedding receptions, parties, and other celebratory events. The second section of the Soldier’s Chorus, “Squilli ercheggi,” follows a recitative in the opera, but is often performed in concert immediately following “Or do’ dadi.”

More Verdi for violin and cello:

Anvil Chorus, from Il Trovatore
Grand March from Aida
La Donna è mobile, from Rigoletto
Va, Pensiero, from Nabucco
Un di felice, eterea, from La Traviata
Valse, from La Traviata