Orphan Child, op. 9 - Otakar Ostrčil

1. prosinec 2008

Between 1904 and 1906 Ostrčil wrote three compositions, all similar in style, for voice and grand orchestra - the melodramas The Ballad of the Dead Cobbler and the Young Dancer, The Czech Ballad, and the song The Orphan Child, op. 9, which is annotated as "a ballad for mezzo-soprano and orchestra based on folk lyrics". The poem that Ostrčil took from Karel Jaromír Erben's collection, and that combines the straightforward force of folk poetry with infant innocence, tells the story of an orphan whose grief over his mother's death leads eventually to his own end. But despite the fact that a folk text is used in the ballad, Ostrčil chooses here, as he did in all his work, to avoid references to folklore music.

The acoustic potential of the grand orchestra is used only very moderately, and instead of applying unimaginative effects the author does his best to create a mournful, tragic atmosphere. Also the vocal part remains quite simple and respects the rhythm, intonation and phrasing of spoken language. The piece was first performed by František Neumann and the Czech Philharmonic Orchestra three months after the score had been finished, on 5th December 1906, at a concert of the Orchestral Music Union (Jednota pro orchestrální hudbu) at the Rudolfinum Concert Hall in Prague. The vocal part was performed by Gabriela Horvátová for whom the composition was intended.

Other compositions by Otakar Ostrčil published in Czech Radio:
Ballad of the Dead Cobbler and the Young Dancer, op. 6

instrumentationmezzosoprano solo, 3fl - muta fl picc, 2ob, cor ingl, 2cl, cl b, 2fg, 4cor, 3trb, 3tbn, tb, timp, perc, 2arp, archidescriptionscorepubl.NoR 169price220,- CZK

Parts only for hire at nakladatelstvi@rozhlas.cz

Spustit audio