The Sorcerer's Apprentice (Dukas)
The Sorcerer's Apprentice, the most famous work of the composer Paul Dukas, is a setting of the eponymous ballad by Johann Wolfgang von Goethe. This created in 1897 under the title " L' Apprenti sorcier " orchestral work belongs to the genre of program music. It is a musical treatment of the story of the sorcerer's apprentice, the illicit a broom enchanted, so that it fetches water to fill a bath tub for the master.
Music ( with reference to the ballad )
The music begins with a tense atmosphere, The Master is gone and the Sorcerer's Apprentice is torn by the idea of himself to try at magic. Finally he can not resist the temptation. The first presented by the trumpet motif is the spell.
On the spell to himself a intoned by the bassoon melody rises: It's the broom that only exerts some steps before he makes himself into unstoppable pace with the buckets armed on the way. The broom characterizing motif that is very memorable melodically and rhythmically ( the broom seems to bounce a little), is later picked up by other instruments and pervades tirelessly the whole piece. The outpouring of the water in the tub is made by the rest of the orchestra, most notably by the strings, audible, the swelling of the water in the room after the tub is filled.
In the midst of the play - that raised by the restless working Brooms is already distributed all over the room - is the subject of the sorcerer's apprentice to hear again. However, it is greatly reduced, because the apprentice has forgotten the spell and is now trying it in several keys, endeavored to stop the action. But after each wrong spell, a new surge of water pours into the room. Then the music reaches a climax, because, in his despair, the Sorcerer's Apprentice throws the ax on the broom and two crashing " blows " prepare the goings initially to an end.
However, after a short pause, the contrabassoon sounds slowly with individual notes of broom motif. It seems as effortless split the broom to get back on their feet, and while he is still in the process occurs added a clarinet, which takes the same musical movement in the distance a tenth. It is the second half of the broom, which finds its own life. Again is the subject of the broom intoned by the bassoon one. And hardly the broom is on the road again, kicking a moment later that motif a second time added, intones the melody in the beginning and Subdominantenharmonie leader by the clarinet on the fifth: the second broom. It seems that this must only abgucken which task it is to do, and do it now like the first. So there are now two brooms that run tirelessly to continue to bring water. The music swells more and more to an abrupt end on another high point, everything falls in on itself. The Master has returned home and has the chaos ended. The Sorcerer's Apprentice is contrite, but his master leaves it in quiet presented admonitions ( final passage before the four final chords ).
Use in the film
High visibility gained Dukas ' musical version of " sorcerer's apprentice " by 1940, produced by Walt Disney movie "Fantasia". Mickey Mouse plays the sorcerer's apprentice is struggling to Dukas ' music for spider and water.
Occupation
1 Piccolo, 2 gr.Flöten, 2 oboes, 2 clarinets (B ), Bass Clarinet ( B), 3 bassoons, 1 contra-bassoon - 4 Horns (F), 2 trumpets (C ), 2 Cornets (B ), 3 trombones - Timpani, Glockenspiel (alternatively: Celesta ), Triangle, Gr. Drum, cymbals - 1 harp - strings, a total of 15 instruments