Dukas - The Sorcerer's Apprentice for 4 Pianos

Composed by Paul Dukas
Arranged by Victoria Graf '24, Linus So '26
Performed by Victoria Graf '24, Michelle Huang '24, Erin Yoo '26, Andrew Wang '27
Best known for its use in the Disney film Fantasia, “The Sorcerer’s Apprentice” is a beloved tale of magic and a student’s folly. The piece is based on a poem by Goethe in which an old sorcerer leaves his apprentice to carry out his chores. The apprentice cleverly uses magic to enchant a broom to do his task of fetching water. However, he quickly loses control of the situation when he is unable to stop the broom. Like the heads of a hydra, the broom only multiplies after attempts to destroy it, leading to chaos in the workshop. Luckily, the sorcerer returns to stop the madness and restore peace to the workshop. Dukas cleverly sets this story to music by progressing from a simple theme and allowing it to spiral out of control into a grand finale immortalized now with the image of sorcerer Mickey attempting to save the workshop from flood.
'Equinox', Lee Rehearsal Hall, May 6 2024
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