Der Traum Des Oenghus

From Wind Repertory Project
Rolf Rudin

Rolf Rudin


This work is often found under its title in English, The Dream of Oenghus. It bears the designation Opus 37.


General Info

Year: 1993/94, 1996
Duration: c. 21:00
Difficulty: V (see Ratings for explanation)
Publisher: edition flor
Cost: Score and Parts - Contact Rolf Rudin


Movements

1. Part One - 7:00
2. Part Two - 14:00


Instrumentation

C Piccolo
Flute I-II
Oboe
Bassoon I-II
E-flat Soprano Clarinet
B-flat Soprano Clarinet I-II-III
B-flat Bass Clarinet
E-flat Alto Saxophone I-II
B-flat Tenor Saxophone
E-flat Baritone Saxophone
B-flat Cornet I-II
B-flat Trumpet I-II-III
Horn in F I-II-III-IV
Trombone I-II-III
Euphonium I-II
Tuba
String Bass
Timpani
Percussion, including:

  • Crash Cymbals
  • Bells
  • Chimes
  • Gong
  • Suspended Cymbal
  • Tam-Tam
  • Vibraphone


Errata

None discovered thus far.


Program Notes

The musical poem The Dream of Oenghus refers to the Irish legend of the same name which was edited by Frederik Hetmann in his collection Irish Magic Garden - Fairy Tales, Legends and Stories from Ireland. The collection was published by the Eugen Diederichs Verlag. In this legend Prince Oenghus has a nightly vision when fast asleep: He sees a girl who plays a flute and falls in love with her. However, as she keeps disappearing she remains unattainable for him for the time being. He consequently sets out to search for her until he finally finds the girl. This piece is no musical retelling of this legend. In a way it rather invites reading the story, as there are only single phases and atmospheres of the legend serving as extra-musical sources of imagination.

The composition is conceived in a large two-part form. The first part was composed in 1993/94 and commissioned by the Confederation of German Band and Folk Music Associations as a Grade 3/4 test piece and consequently selected for the competitions that took place during the 2nd German Federal Festival of Music in Münster/Westfalia.

The music of the first part largely converts the vision into sound patterns which is described at the beginning of the legend. It was the atmosphere of something dreamlike or also something unattainable that became the inspiration for writing the music of a tenderly somber world of dreams: Noise sounds of the beginning, bell-like motifs and a vacillating sound stratum hovering in itself bestow upon this composition its mysteriously nocturnal character. Following it -- through several repetitions of a mysterious chant in continuously increasing instrumentation and dynamics -- an arc which apparently does not end is created that is able to symbolize the quest for the girl in terms of length of space and time like in a dreamlike premonition.

Without having read the legend again for some two years, the second larger part of the musical poem was written in 1996 for the State Wind Orchestra of Baden-Württemberg. It examines the more “real” aspects of the legend. At its beginning already the second part of this composition makes associations -- expressed by its ferocity -- to the prince's “aberrations” in his quest for the girl. This, as we know, was shown in the first part in a visionary and idealistically transfigured way. This also applies to the importance of the flute which was alluded to only towards the end of the first part, whereas here it is given ample room for development: A large cantilena full of enigmatic expression floats above an harmonic carpet which links the visions of nightly tranquility of the first part. A constantly repeated rhythmical increase of march-like character climaxes in picking up the “mysterious chant” of the first part. In that way it leads to formal unity of the complete work in an evident way. The atmosphere of apotheosis of the final coda makes the relieving B-flat major disappear in the visionary noise sounds of the beginning and dismisses the audience in a peaceful “legendary” atmosphere.

- Program Note by composer


Media


State Ratings

  • Arkansas: IV
  • Texas: III (mvt. 4)
  • Texas: IV. Complete
  • Virginia: V


Performances

To submit a performance please join The Wind Repertory Project

  • University of Minnesota (Minneapolis) Symphonic Band (Jerry Luckhardt, conductor) -- 28 November 2023
  • Nazareth University (Rochester, N.Y.) Wind Symphony (Bill Tiberio, conductor) - 20 October 2023
  • Lamar University (Beaumont, Tx.) Wind Ensemble (Andrew McMahan, conductor) – 25 April 2022
  • Truman State University (Kirksville, Mo.) Wind Symphony II (Jennifer Rubin, conductor) – 4 March 2020
  • Phoenix Winds (Elon, N.C.) Wind Ensemble (Jonathan Poquette, conductor)– 14 November 2019
  • Austin (Tx.) Civic Wind Ensemble(Robert Laguna, conductor) – 27 October 2019
  • Grand Valley State University Wind Symphony (Kevin Tutt, conductor) – 13 October 2019
  • University of California (Berkeley) Wind Ensemble (Matthew Sadowski, conductor) - 28 October 2018
  • University of Texas, Arlington, Symphonic Band (Christopher Evans, conductor) – 26 April 2018
  • CBDNA East Intercollegiate Band (New Haven, Conn.) (Cynthia Johnston-Turner, conductor) – 10 March 2018 (CBDNA 2018 Eastern Conference, New Haven, Conn.)
  • University of Georgia (Athens) Hodgson Symphonic Band (Michael Robinson, conductor) – 15 November 2017
  • Orange County Wind Symphony (Anaheim, Calif.) (Anthony Mazzaferro, conductor) – 9 April 2017
  • Northwest Missouri State University (Maryville) Wind Symphony (John Bell, conductor) – 26 January 2017 (MMEA 79th Annual In-Service Workshop/Conference)
  • University of Georgia (Athens) Hodgson Wind Ensemble (Cynthia Johnson-Turner, conductor) – 20 January 2017
  • Washburn University (Topeka, Ks.) Wind Ensemble (Michael Mapp, conductor) – 17 March 2016 (CBDNA 2016 Southwestern Division Conference, Boulder, Colo.)
  • Illinois State University (Normal) Symphonic Band (Martin H. Seggelke, conductor) - 5 October 2014
  • Minnesota All-State Symphonic Band (James Spinazzola, conductor) - 15 February 2014
  • San Francisco Wind Ensemble (Martin H. Seggelke, conductor) - 20 April 2013
  • Cornell University (Ithaca, N.Y.) Wind Symphony (Cynthia Johnston Turner, conductor) – 3 March 2012 (CBDNA 2012 Eastern Division Conference, College Park, Md.)


Works for Winds by This Composer


Resources

  • Miles, Richard B. 2000. Teaching Music Through Performance in Band. Volume 3. Chicago: GIA Publications. pp. 316-321.
  • Rolf Rudin website
  • Rudin, R. (1993/4). Der Traum des Oenghus / 1, Teil 1 : op. 37/1; (1996). Edition Flor: Erlensee.
  • Rudin, R. (1996). Der Traum des Oenghus / 2, Teil 2 : op. 37/2; (1996). Edition Flor: Erlensee.