Franck: Le Chasseur maudit

Description

Le Chasseur maudit (The Accursed Huntsman) is a symphonic poem by Romantic composer César Franck (1822-1890). Inspired by the ballad Der wilde Jäger (The Wild Hunter) by German poet Gottfried August Bürger, the work tells the story of a Count of the Rhine, who breaks the Sabbath to go hunting. He is then cursed to be chased by demons for all eternity.

Completed in October of 1882, Le Chasseur maudit premiered in March of 1883 at the Salle Érard in a concert of the Société Nationale de Musique under the baton of Édouard Colonne.

Instrumentation: 2+Picc.2.2.4: 4.2+2Crnt.3.1: Timp.Perc(2-3): Str (9-8-7-6-5 in set).