Publisher's Synopsis
Among the most popular works in the orchestral repertoire, Dukas's The Sorcerer's Apprentice and Chabrier's celebrated rhapsody España have delighted generations of concertgoers.
The Sorcerer's Apprentice (1897), an orchestral scherzo, is a symphonic comment on a mordant ballad by Goethe. One of the most memorable pieces in the concert literature -- and Dukas's sole claim to fame -- the work is filled with relentless drive and musical magic, perfectly capturing Goethe's tale of a bumbling would-be sorcerer. España, a rhapsody inspired by Chabrier's visit to Andalusia, met with extraordinary success at its 1883 premiere. Its harmonic and rhythmic coloring, accented by profuse vitality and spirit, make it a masterpiece of lively spontaneity.
Musicians and music lovers will welcome this convenient one-volume compilation -- the only one of its kind -- enabling them to study the structure, texture, and remarkable orchestration of these 19th-century classics, reproduced here from authoritative French editions.
