The Noon Witch (Poldenice), Op. 108, B. 196 - Antonín Dvořák

The Noon Witch (Poldenice), Op. 108, B. 196 by Antonín Dvořák

This short work for orchestra was completed in 1896. The first performance was given in June of 1896 at the Prague Conservatory, however this was for a small audience of only select members. The public premiere of the work was given in November of 1896 in London.

The work is based on the poem ‘Poldenice’ from the Kytice collection by Czech folklorist Karel Jaromír Erben. The poem ‘Poldenice’ was published as part of the Kytice collection in 1853 (when Dvořák was only 12).

Poldenice is a mythical creature from Bohemian folklore, a horrifying apparition which appears with the noonday sun. In the poem, a mother is warning her son that if he misbehaves, Poldenice will appear and take him away. He does not heed her warning, and Poldenice appears at noon the same day. The mother holds her son tight and runs from Poldenice, but the noon witch never gives up the chase. Eventually the mother faints from exhaustion and falls.

The father returns home at the end of the day and finds that his wife has smothered the child to death when she fainted on top of him.