Paul Dukas’ The Sorcerer’s Apprentice (L’Apprenti sorcier), composed in 1897, is a famous French symphonic poem (or tone poem) for orchestra based on Goethe’s 1797 ballad “Der Zauberlehrling”.
It tells the story of an apprentice who uses magic to make a broom fetch water, but loses control, flooding the room until the master sorcerer returns.
Key Details:
- Musical Structure: The 10-minute piece is a “scherzo” known for its vivid orchestration, capturing the magical, chaotic, and humorous narrative. It features notable, sprightly themes in the bassoons and strings.
- Storyline: The apprentice animates a broom, which continues to fetch water even after being chopped in half, necessitating the master’s return to end the chaotic spell.
- Cultural Impact: While originally a concert piece, it gained widespread fame through its, featuring Mickey Mouse in Walt Disney’s 1940 animated film Fantasia.
- Instrumentation: The piece calls for a large orchestra including piccolos, clarinets, contrabassoon, four horns, trumpets, harp, and various percussion.
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