Noon Witch, The (Polednice, Op. 108/B. 196; critical ed.) Cover Image

Noon Witch, The (Polednice, Op. 108/B. 196; critical ed.): Full Orchestra, Conductor Score & Parts

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$120.00 USD
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Noon Witch, The (Polednice, Op. 108/B. 196; critical ed.) Cover Image
Noon Witch, The (Polednice, Op. 108/B. 196; critical ed.): Full Orchestra, Conductor Score & Parts

Noon Witch, The (Polednice, Op. 108/B. 196; critical ed.): Full Orchestra, Conductor Score & Parts

By Antonín Dvorák, ed./arr. by Jarmil Burghauser/ Otakar Sourek

Item: 36-A719902
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In 1896, soon after his return from America to his Bohemian homeland, Antonín Dvorák wrote a set of four orchestral pieces based on Karel Jaromír Erben's collection of poetry A BOUQUET OF FOLK LEGENDS. Included among these was his tone poem THE NOON WITCH (POLEDNICE), Op. 108, B. 196. It relates the tale of a mother who warns her unruly child that if he doesn't mend his behavior, the Noon Witch will come to snatch him away. When the witch does finally appear, the mother tries to protect him in an effort that results in tragic consequences. The work premiered on June 3, 1896 at the Prague Conservatory under the baton of Antonín Bennewitz. Henry Wood directed the first public performance in London on November 21. Jarmil Burghauser expounded upon the work of Otakar Šourek to construct this Kalmus critical edition. Instrumentation: 2+Picc.2.2+BCl.2: 4.2.3.1: Timp.Perc(4): Str (9.8.7.6.5 in set).

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Additional Details
Series: Kalmus Critical Editions
Publisher: Keiser Productions, Inc.
UPC: 659859350622
SKU: 36-A719902
Instrumentation: 2+Picc.2.2+BCl.2: 4.2.3.1: Timp.Perc(4): Str (9.8.7.6.5 in set)

More about this title

About the Composer: Antonín Dvorák

Antonín Dvorák (1841-1904) stands as one of the defining voices of Czech nationalism in classical music. A prolific composer across all genres, he drew deeply from Bohemian folk traditions while mastering the symphonic and operatic forms of the European concert tradition. His time in America (1892-1895) as director of the National Conservatory in New York exposed his music to the Western Hemisphere, but his greatest works often returned to Czech subjects and landscapes upon his homecoming.

Dvoták's orchestration is among the most assured in the Romantic repertoire. He understood the capabilities of every instrument and wrote with a natural lyricism that moves effortlessly across the ensemble, making his scores both dramatically effective and genuinely playable by student and professional orchestras alike.

Why we love this

The Noon Witch is a masterclass in orchestral storytelling that rewards an ensemble with clear dramatic arc and moments of genuine theatrical intensity. The score builds from ominous calm through escalating psychological tension to genuine tragedy, giving conductors and players real work to do in shaping color and pacing. It's substantial enough to anchor a concert program but short enough to program alongside other works.

What to expect

Supernatural dread wrapped in deceptive pastoral beauty. The work opens with an unsettling quietness that gradually reveals a mother's growing alarm as an ancient folkloric terror approaches. What begins as a cautionary tale transforms into something genuinely frightening, with orchestral color shifting from warm to eerie, and the ensemble building toward a devastating climax that lingers in stark tragedy.

Who it's for

Orchestras with mature players across all sections and conductors seeking a Romantic-era tone poem that offers genuine dramatic challenge without the performance demands of a full symphony. The critical edition format makes this ideal for educational ensembles that want scholarly editions with reliable text.

How to get the most out of it

  • Establish the ominous pastoral atmosphere in the opening; this eerie quiet is the foundation for all that follows. Find the sweetness in the early woodwind writing before the anxiety enters.
  • The mother's theme needs warmth and protection in its orchestration. Bring out the string parts that carry her maternal concern, especially in the lower voices, to keep her character sympathetic even as events spiral.
  • Control the pacing of the witch's entrance and development. Resist the temptation to rush the building tension; let each orchestral gesture accumulate weight so the climax lands with full force.
  • Balance the large percussion section carefully. Those parts serve the drama, not the tempo; clarity of individual strokes matters more than volume.

How to use it

Program this as the anchor of a concert exploring Romantic nationalism or Eastern European orchestral music, pairing it with other works from Dvorák's folk-legend cycle or with tone poems by Smetana. It also works effectively in a concert focused on musical storytelling or as a counterweight to lighter contemporary repertoire.

Skills your students will build

  • Conducting sustained tension and psychological drama across a full orchestra
  • Balancing multiple layers of thematic material while maintaining clarity
  • Coordinating large percussion sections in dramatic contexts
  • Shaping orchestral color to support narrative progression
  • Reading and interpreting critical edition scores with scholarly apparatus

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