Bruch, Max

Preface

Bruch, Max

Odysseus, Oratorio Op. 41 (Vocal Score)

Besides three symphonies, three violin concertos, and chamber music, Bruch also produced an impressive amount of vocal music. It was the première of his opera Loreley in 1836 that first made his name known throughout Germany. At that time he felt called upon to write “the rousing German national opera.” No less popular was his cantata Frithjof for male chorus, solo voices, and orchestra (1864).
In 1871, while searching for a suitable opera libretto, he stumbled upon Homer’s Odyssey: “The splendor of this primeval work of poetry became so clear to me that I could no longer dispel the thought of turning it into a series of lyrical scenes. … I selected the scenes, chose their order according to the rule of contrast, mainly following musical considerations, and then made a detailed outline of each scene, precisely indicating where I wanted to have ten lines for Ulysses, four for the chorus, and so forth…

For more information on the piece:

Read the preface to the full score / das Vorwort zur Partitur lesen > HERE