WEBER – Hunters’ Chorus (from the opera ‘Der Freischütz’) – FOUR CELLOS

Other Identification:
‘Der Freischütz’ (Op. 77 – which can be loosely translated into English as ‘The Marksman’ or ‘The Freeshooter’) is a German opera, employing spoken dialogue, in three acts by Carl Maria von Weber. The libretto was prepared by Friedrich Kind, based on a story by Johann August Apel and Friedrich Laun from their 1810 collection ‘Gespensterbuch’.
It was premiered at the Schauspielhaus Berlin on 18th June 1821. It is considered the first German Romantic era opera. The public and critical reception of ‘Der Freischütz’ surpassed even Weber’s own hopes and it quickly became an amazing international success, with productions in Vienna that same year, followed by Dresden, Leipzig, Hamburg, Munich, Karlsruhe, Königsberg, Prague, other German centres, Riga and Copenhagen. Soon after, in 1824, there were productions in four London theatres in four different adaptations!
Weber’s initial concert overture and the “Huntsmen’s Chorus” from Act 3 are often performed as independent concert pieces. This chorus – a great march full of energy – was written with especially noticeable parts for four horns, obviously indicating that they should sound like hunting horns. Indeed, the opera is the story of a huntsman who uses magic bullets!