Good Soldier Schweik Suite, The

From Wind Repertory Project
Robert Kurka

Robert Kurka


This work bears the designation Opus 22.


General Info

Year: 1956
Duration: c. 19:45
Difficulty: V (see Ratings for explanation)
Publisher: Music Sales America, distributed by Hal Leonard
Cost: Score and Parts (print) - $45.00 | Score Only (print) - $12.00


Movements

1. Overture – 3:30
2. Lament – 3:30
3. March – 2:55
4. War Dance – 2:10
5. Pastoral – 3:10
6. Finale – 3:20


Instrumentation

Full Score
C Piccolo
Flute
Oboe
English Horn
Bassoon
Contrabassoon
B-flat Soprano Clarinet
B-flat Bass Clarinet
B-flat Trumpet I-II
Horn in F I-II-III
Trombone
Timpani
Percussion, including:

  • Snare Drum


Errata

For a complete list of errata, see Traster, in Resources, below.


Program Notes

The Good Soldier Schweik Suite consists of several short movements depicting a good-natured Czech soldier caught in the machinations of World War I. Kurka's suite was not derived from his opera of the same name; notably, the suite was written first. Like the music of Kurt Weill and other contemporaries of Kurka, this piece features folk melodies stylized with dramatic variety ranging from whimsical to macabre. Virtuosic, technically demanding, and highly exposed, Good Soldier Schweik requires advanced musicians at the collegiate level.

- Program Note from Great Music for Wind Band


The Good Soldier Schweik Suite was premiered by the Little Orchestra Society, conducted by Tom Sherman. in 1952, The opera was completed two years later and was premiered with great success at the New York City Center on April 23, 1958. An instrumentation of winds and percussion instruments only is utilized in both suite and opera.

The suite was inspired by a anti-war satire, The Good Soldier Schweik and His Fortunes in the World War by Yaroslavl Hacek, a Czech novelist, following World War I. Many of the hero's predicaments were taken from the author's experiences. In the story, Schweik is a symbol of the common people, forced to become a soldier and fight for a cause in which he does not believe. At one point, after relating how wonderful life was in an insane asylum (from which he had just been released), Schweik comments that "everyone there could say exactly what he pleased ... just as if he were in Parliament." Through his seemingly idiotic behavior, Schweik's German master believe he is feeble minded, while, behind their backs, he exposes their arrogance, stupidity, and hypocrisy. He is subjected to several indignities through which his optimism finally emerges indestructible and triumphant. He is, therefore, not only a single individual, but also the symbol of the common people and their resistance to a war from which can derive no benefit, only suffering.

Each of the six short pieces which comprise the suite represents a general idea or theme which reoccurs throughout the book, rather than any specific episodes. Thus, the Overture is a character sketch of Schweik, the good-natured common man, the genial collector of homeless dogs. The Lament represents the element of sadness and seriousness which underlies many of the episodes, such as the outbreak of war. The March represents the solder's chief means of getting from place to place. The War Dance represents the authorities, both civilian and military, and their fanatical pounding of the war drum. The Pastoral is an ironic title for a movement which in no way brings to mind a peaceful idyllic scene of shepherds tending their flocks. Rather, it is heavy and oppressive because it depicts the countryside in time of war, underscoring the scene in which Schweik is sent to the battlefront. According to Michael Burch-Pesses, "The scene is one of dark devastation, jagged stumps of trees, trenches and burial pits, death and destruction." The Finale reveals Schweik's optimism, triumphant and indestructible in the end.

Musically, Jeffrey Traster recommends the suite as "an excellent neo-classical work worthy of accurate and frequent performance."

- Program Note from Program Notes for Band


Media


State Ratings

None discovered thus far.


Performances

To submit a performance please join The Wind Repertory Project

  • Pinnacle Winds (Kansas City, Mo.) (John Carmichael, conductor) – 7 April 2024
  • Velvet Pastures Wind Ensemble (Durham, N.H.) (Andrew Boysen, Jr., conductor) - 4 February 2023
  • University of Nevada Reno Wind Ensemble (Reed Chamberlain, conductor) - 7 April 2022
  • Baldwin-Wallace Conservatory (Berea, Ohio) Symphonic Wind Ensemble (Brendan Caldwell, conductor) - 11 February 2022
  • Ball State University (Muncie, Ind.) Symphonic Wind Ensemble (Thomas Caneva, conductor) - 23 April 2021
  • Hope College (Holland, Mich.) Wind Ensemble (Gabe Southard, conductor) - 23 April 2021
  • Ohio State University (Columbus) Chamber Ensemble (Russel C. Mikkelson, conductor) - 29 March 2021
  • Southern Methodist University (Dallas, Tx.) Meadows Wind Ensemble (Gregory Hustis, conductor) - 26 March 2021
  • University of North Texas (Denton) Wind Orchestra (Andrew Trachsel, conductor) - 4 March 2021
  • Michigan State University (East Lansing) Wind Symphony (Kevin Sedatole, conductor) - 26 February 2021
  • University of Iowa (Iowa City) Symphony Band (Josh Neuenschwander, conductor) – 10 December 2020
  • Eastman School of Music (Rochester, N.Y.) Wind Orchestra (Mark Davis Scatterday, conductor) – 2 November 2020
  • University of Kentucky (Lexington) Wind Symphony (John Cody Birdwell, conductor) – 23 October 2020
  • California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo, Wind Ensemble (unconducted) – 8 March 2020
  • California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo, Wind Ensemble (Christopher J. Woodruff, conductor) – 15 November 2019
  • Indiana University (Bloomington) Wind Ensemble (Rodney Dorsey, conductor) – 5 November 2019
  • University of Michigan (Ann Arbor) Symphony Band (Michael Haithcock, conductor) – 5 April 2019
  • Bowling Green (Ohio) State University Wind Symphony (Michael King, conductor) – 28 March 2019
  • California State University, San Bernardino, Symphony Band (Nicholas Bratcher, conductor) – 7 November 2018
  • Lawrence University (Appleton, Wisc.) Wind Ensemble (Andrew Mast, conductor) – 17 February 2018
  • University of Maryland Wind Orchestra (Brian Coffill, conductor) – 7 April, 2017
  • American Chamber Winds (David Waybright, conductor) – 21 January 2015


Works for Winds by This Composer


Resources