Winter: Das Unterbrochene Opferfest Overture

Description

FE40                     2222/4200/timps strings

Winter’s Opera “Das Unterbrochene Opferfest” (The Interrupted Sacrifice) was a significant work in the progression from Singspiel to German Romantic Opera, the development which started with Mozart”s “Magic Flute” and finished with Weber’s “Freischütz”.

The overture starts with forbidding unisons and open harmony but this gives way to something quite “gemütlich” at the end of the Maestoso and the start of the Allegro. However the violins soon enter with wailing fast appoggiaturas. At times the harmonic progressions are crude and towards the end there is a barbaric tutti where the easy-going first theme of the Allegro is transmuted into a screaming, screeching effect. The overture drives through to a naive yet exultant conclusion. Altogether a very colourful and programmatic piece.

Duration 6 minutes

Full score £16

Set of parts wind and strings (44321) £80

Extra string parts £6