View annotated samples in PDF form
View samples of abridged version in PDF form
L'apprenti sorcier ("The Sorcerer's Apprentice") is a concert scherzo by Paul Dukas based on the poem Die Zauberlehrling by Johann Wolfgang von Goethe. It was an instant hit with audiences when it was first performed in 1897, and Walt Disney's inclusion of it in the 1940 film Fantasia brought it to an even wider crowd. And now you no longer need an eighty-piece orchestra to play it; just one (very devoted) person at an organ.
Three versions of this classic are available: a basic arrangement, with simpler registration instructions; a full, annotated version, with very specific registrations made for the organ at St. John's Anglican Cathedral, Winnipeg (where the piece was premiered on Oct. 30th, 2010); and an abbreviated version, which cuts about half the running time while leaving the recognized themes intact. All the page samples except the one directly above this text are from the full version without annotations.
The infamous "dancing brooms" theme gets its play throughout, in every version, appearing at times in the right hand, at times in the left, and initially, as shown above, in the pedals. The various other themes woven into Dukas' beautiful narrative are similarly scored with great consideration for how best to bring out the melodies and to imitate the Romantic orchestral pallette on a single instrument.
Of course, it's not an easy thing to play. L'apprenti sorcier involves rapid, intricate and difficult pedalwork, a delicate touch in the manuals, and an overall sense of desperation that's not too hard to conjure up at a few points, as the organist might well feel it themselves (I certainly did). The score calls for as much dedication and independance as a Bach trio while aiming for the sound of a Vierne symphony. Hence the call for an abridged version, which, while still difficult, at least requires less time and endurance from the organist. Great effort has been made to avoid cutting into the musical ideas or cheating Goethe's narrative; it's not as impressive as playing the longer version, but it still touches all the familiar bases.
This is my first complete orchestral transcription, although most certainly not my last. It makes for a great concert piece; with a little (further) snip here and there - detailed in the score - the abridged version is an excellent encore, if still a bit long. There are at present no recordings of this arrangement available (plenty, though, of the original!) and the MIDI organ simply will not do it justice. Plans are in place for it to be recorded in an idealized version at St. John's Cathedral, Winnipeg, on the organ for which it was conceived; until then, you'll have to make do with your imagination.