The Cambridge Greek Play produced Aristophane's THE WASPS at Trinity College, Cambridge in 1909, and Ralph Vaughan Williams (1872-1958) was asked to compose incidental music to accompany the production. Scored for tenor and baritone solos, male chorus, and orchestra, the lengthy work averages around an hour and forty-five minutes for a complete performance and so is not programmed often. Vaughan Williams later extracted the overture and four additional movements to create a suite. The composer himself conducted the premiere of the ARISTOPHANIC SUITE with the New Symphony Orchestra on July 23, 1912. Instrumentation: 2(2nd d.Picc).2.2.2: 4.2.2+BTbn.0: Timp.Perc(3-4): Hp: Str (9.8.7.6.5 in set). Reprint edition.