Concerto pour cor principal et petit orchestre op. 24

Details

+ quotation of a theme (‘Die Krähe’) by Franz Schubert

Assez animé
Grave et très soutenu
Vif et alerte

+ piano reduction

Program note: I composed this work during the winter of 1944-1945 in German imprisonment, for a fellow prisoner, the Belgian horn player Georges Caraël. I chose to use a very small orchestra, with no violins: a flute, two clarinets, two bassoons, timpani, six violas, four violoncellos and two double basses.
I find it difficult to write a 'commentary' on this work, as for me it is linked to many things of which it is impossible to discuss briefly, whereas an explanation on technical details will neither interest nor help the listener.
I would only like to point out one detail: in the middle of the final part, a quotation from Schubert's 'Winterreise' can be heard ('Die Krähe'), which has unconsciously flowed from my pen. Those who know the symbolism of the 'Winterreise', are welcome to draw their own conclusions. - MARIUS FLOTHUIS

Oranienburg