Ein Landarzt
composer: Hans Werner Henze
author of original text: Franz Kafka
Rundfunkoper auf die Erzählung von Franz Kafka (revidierte Fassung 1994)
Englische Übersetzung von Wesley Balk
Premiere: November 19, 1951 Hamburg, Nordwestdeutscher Rundfunk (D) · Conductor: Harry Hermann Spitz · Orchester des Nordwestdeutschen Rundfunks · Staging: Otto Kurth
September 27, 1996 Köln, Westdeutscher Rundfunk, Studio für Elektronische Musik des WDR (D) · Conductor: Markus Stenz · Kölner Rundfunk-Sinfonie-Orchester (world première of the revised version)
Orchestra instrumentation: 1 (auch Picc.) · 1 · Engl. Hr. · 1 · Bassklar. · 1 · Kfg. - 2 · 2 · 1 · 1 - P. S. (Trgl. · 2 Röhrengl. · hg. Beck. · Beckenpaar · Tamt. · 3 Tomt. · kl. Tr. · gr. Tr. [m. u. o. Beck.] · Clav. · Guiro · Trinidad steel-drums · Tempelbl. · Xyl. · Vibr. · Marimba) (3 Spieler) - Hfe. · Cel. · 3 Klav. (1. u. 2. präp. Klav.) · Org. - Str.
Cast of characters: der Landarzt · Bariton - der Pferdeknecht · Tenor - der Patient · Knabenstimme - der Vater · Bass - Rosa · Sopran - die Tochter · Sopran - die Mutter · Alt - Kinderchor (Sopran, Alt)
Publisher: Schott Music
Duration: 26' 0''
Year of composition: 1951, rev. 1994
Language: German - English
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Description
A country doctor is called to a patient. For the journey, a shadowy carriage unexpectedly awaits. While Rosa the housemaid is being threatened by the coachman, the horses as if by magic sweep off with the doctor before he can come to the aid of his housemaid. The patient is a boy who does not appear to be ill, but is actually close to death. He has a palm-sized open wound in the region of his hip in which bloody worms are visible. The doctor cannot offer any help and is thus transformed into a patient himself. He lies down with the boy and has to listen to his accusation: ‘Instead of helping me, you take up space in my deathbed.’ The open wound as a symbol of human indebtedness returns the doctor-patient’s thoughts to Rosa, the housemaid who is in danger at home. He wishes to return home swiftly, but the horses now walk extremely slowly at the pace of old men. He abandons all hope, ‘naked and exposed to the frost of these ill-fated times’. (Source: WDR)
Recordings
Ein Landarzt / Das Ende einer Welt (2005)
Hans Werner Henze
Robert Bork, Jonas Dickopf, Daphne Evangelatos, Hans Werner Henze, Roland Hermann, Roderic M. Keating, Kölner Domchor, Frieder Lang, Matteo de Monti, Isolde Siebert, WDR Rundfunkchor Köln, WDR Sinfonieorchester Köln
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WER-66662
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