A Tale as Old as Time
The great German poet Johann Wolfgang von Goethe borrowed the story of his 1797 ballad poem Der Zauberlehrling (“The Sorcerer’s Apprentice”) from the dialogue The Lie-Fancier by the second-century Greek writer Lucian. In the story, the apprentice uses his master’s absence to work some magic of his own. He casts a spell on the broom, which comes alive and starts to bring buckets of water into the house. To his horror, however, the apprentice discovers that he has forgotten how to stop the broom. He chops the broom in two, only to find that both halves turn into brooms working at ever more frantic speed.The excess water threatens to inundate the whole house, and the sorcerer returns just in time to prevent a catastrophe.
Background
Paul Dukas was a contemporary and friend of Claude Debussy, in fact, they studied with the same composition teacher at the Paris Conservatoire, which Bizet had also studied at decades prior. The overly self-critical Dukas completed only about a dozen works in his entire lifetime. He was also a distinguished teacher (his students included Olivier Messiaen) and a brilliant music critic.
Goethe’s ballad inspired Dukas to write the symphonic poem, subtitled “Scherzo after a ballad by Goethe,” which is undoubtedly his best- known work. The Musical Quarterly, the oldest academic journal on music in America, commented that the world fame of the work not only overshadowed all other compositions by Dukas but also eclipsed Goethe’s original poem. The Grove Dictionary of Music and Musicians observed, “The popularity of L’apprenti sorcier and the exhilarating film version of it in Disney’s Fantasia possibly hindered a fuller understanding of Dukas, as that single work is far better known than its composer.”
Fantasia
Released in 1940 Fantasia was said to be Walt Disney’s all-time favorite. Adjusted for inflation, it ranks 23rd in the all-time box office. Because World War II was happening at the time, initial box office sales were dismal. It didn’t become a hit until 1969 during its fifth theatrical release. It was re-marketed as a “psychedelic” movie. Though it has no cohesive story, the film centers around popular classical music. Perhaps the most iconic segment stars Mickey Mouse as the young apprentice. Due to the success of Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs, Dopey was almost cast as the apprentice, but Mickey ended up being chosen. Thank goodness.
What to Listen For
Dukas’ symphonic scherzo begins with a slow introduction depicting the sorcerer and his incantations; the woodwinds, the harp, and the harmonics of the strings produce a mysterious ambiance. A strong timpani stroke gives the signal for the novice’s action, and the broom slowly begins to move as the bassoons introduce the scherzo’s main theme (which is none other than the theme of the introduction in a much faster tempo).The orchestration of the melody becomes richer and richer as the broom wreaks havoc in the house. There is a momentary stop when the first four notes are played, haltingly, by the solo contrabassoon. But then the poor apprentice’s nightmare starts all over again until the slow tempo of the introduction announces the wizard’s return.The first four notes of the theme are also used to end the work, played in a fast tempo and fortissimo by the entire orchestra.
Dukas features a trio of bassoons playing the motif, or theme, of a spellbound broom. All of the different sections of the orchestra are featured. Not only that, the music is highly rhythmic with a variety of sounds and moods, and each piece tells a story.