The First Walpurgis Night – Carus Choir Coach

Scoring: Soli ATBarB (ATB), Coro SATB, Pic, 2 Fl, 2 Ob, 2 Clt, 2 Fg, 2 Cor, 2 Tr, 3 Trb, Timp, Gran Tamburo e Piatti, 2 Vl, Va, Vc, Cb

Goethe’s dramatic ballad The First Walpurgis Night inspired Mendelssohn to write a magnificent and vivid portrayal of the conflict between an old heathen community and the new aspirations of Christianization, between belief and superstition on both sides. In 1833 Mendelssohn had his ballad premiered, but he decided to make far-reaching revisions before he finally had the work published in 1844.

Goethe's text is not without its challenges for the singers, especially in the chorus of the druid guardians "Kommt mit Zacken und mit Gabeln". If you want to take part in this wild ride, you should have practised well before the rehearsal!

The Carus Choir Coach offers choir singers the unique opportunity to study and learn their own, individual choral parts within the context of the sound of the entire choir and orchestra. For every vocal range a separate Audio or MP3 containing each choir part is available. The Carus Choir Coach is based on recorded interpretations by renowned artists who have performed the work from carefully prepared Carus Urtext editions. Each choir part is presented in three different versions:

• Original recording
• Coach: each part is accompanied by the piano, with the original recording sounding in the background
• Coach in slow mode: the tempo of the coach slows down to 70% of the original version – through this reduction passages can be learned more effectively.

Performers: Renée Morloc (Soprano), David Fischer (Alto), Stephan Genz (Tenore), David Jerusalem (Basso) – Kammerchor Stuttgart – Die Deutsche Kammerphilharmonie Bremen – Frieder Bernius