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Odysseus

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description Odysseus Overview

Odysseus is a secular oratorio by Max Bruch, composed in 1873. Its subject is drawn from Homer’s Odyssey and follows the Greek hero Odysseus during his long return journey from the Trojan War to Ithaca. The work applies the large vocal and orchestral forces of the nineteenth-century oratorio to a classical mythological narrative rather than to a biblical or explicitly liturgical subject.

help Odysseus FAQ

What part of Homer's Odyssey does Max Bruch's Odysseus use?

The secular oratorio follows Odysseus during his long return from the Trojan War to Ithaca. It turns Homer's epic into selected lyrical scenes for solo voices, chorus, and orchestra. [Odysseus](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Odysseus_(oratorio))

When was Bruch's Odysseus first performed?

Odysseus is catalogued as Op. 41 and was first performed in Barmen on February 8, 1873. It became Bruch's most successful large vocal work during his lifetime. [Boosey & Hawkes](https://www.boosey.com/cr/music/Max-Bruch-Odysseus/54916)

Why is Odysseus called a secular oratorio?

Its subject is Homer's Greek epic rather than a biblical story, so secular refers to the nonreligious narrative. The score still uses the large oratorio format of soloists, mixed chorus, and orchestra. [Odysseus](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Odysseus_(oratorio))

Which famous episode from the Odyssey does Bruch leave out?

Bruch's version omits Penelope's suitors and the scene in which Odysseus kills them. The result is a selection of scenes from the homecoming story rather than a complete setting of the epic's final books. [Odysseus](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Odysseus_(oratorio))

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