L'Apprenti sorcier (NCPE. Nieweg)

“The Sorcerer's Apprentice” by Paul Dukas, composed in 1897, ranks among the most popular symphonic poems of French late Romanticism. The work is based on Goethe's famous ballad "The Sorcerer's Apprentice" and musically tells the story of the presumptuous apprentice who, in his master's absence, tries out a magic spell and loses control of the conjured forces.

Dukas masterfully succeeds in translating the dramatic action into music. The main theme, initially presented by the bass clarinet, symbolizes the magic spell and runs through the entire work in various variations and intensifications. Brilliant orchestration and sophisticated thematic development create a vivid tone painting that compellingly depicts the growing tumult until the redemptive intervention of the sorcerer master.

This edition in the established NCPE series (Nieweg) offers a carefully edited score that is ideally suited for both concert performances and study purposes. The approximately 10-minute work requires a full romantic orchestra and places moderate technical demands on the musicians, making it an attractive repertoire piece for many orchestras.