Carl Reinecke - Flute Sonata Op.167 "Undine"[운디네-물의 요정]

(1824 – 1910)

German composer, conductor, and pianist.

 

Flute Sonata Op.167 "Undine"

The Sonata was inspired by Friedrich de la Motte Fouqué's "Undine" (1811), a romantic fairytale related with the Germanic mythology. The story is about the daughter of the King of the Sea, Undine, who leaves the ocean looking for a human love that will give her an immortal soul. A fisherman finds her on the coast and decides to bring her up with his wife as their child. Grown she falls in love with the knight Hulbrand and soon they get married. Althoug he finds out Undine's real identity he swears her eternal love. But Undine's uncle, Kuhleborn admonishes her: if ever Hulbrand will be unfaithful she will have to return to the sea and he'll have to die.
Their life together is beatiful until his last sweetheart starts to woo him; he can't avoid the temptation and finally falls. The doom has won, both are ruined...aquatic spirits exact their revenge and the poor Undine must kill her husband with a fatal kiss.

In the first movement Reinecke represent the seaworld, the home of Undine;
the second one describes her childhood with the human family;
in the Andante tranquillo appears the love theme with a rough trio: the prophecy of Kuhleborn;
In the dramatic and intensely expressive Finale are represented the betrayal of Hulbrand, the spirit rage and the suffering of Undine; finally appears a reminescence of the youth happiness of the girl and the remark that in spite of everything her human life was rewarding.