Carl Maria von Weber – Der Freischütz: Hunters’ Chorus

A 19th-century illustration depicting the "Hunters’ Chorus" that introduces Act Three of Carl Maria von Weber’s opera "Der Freischütz".

In 1817, Carl Maria von Weber assumed the position of composer and director of the Dresden Opera and began working on his new opera Der Freischütz. The premiere took place in Berlin on June 18, 1821, and brought Weber immediate fame. The work was soon performed widely throughout Germany and abroad, establishing his reputation as a leading figure of German Romantic opera.

Der Freischütz is widely regarded as the first true German Romantic opera. It combines elements of folklore and rural life with the supernatural world of demons and dark forces, creating a powerful contrast between nature and the unknown. Although Weber composed more sophisticated music in his later operas, he never again achieved the overwhelming success and lasting international impact of Der Freischütz.

The opera tells the story of Max, a young forester who seeks magical bullets from the “Wild Huntsman,” a demonic figure, in order to win a shooting contest and thereby secure permission to marry Agathe, the woman he loves.

Following the terrifying events in the Wolf’s Glen, the introduction to Act Three returns the listener to the familiar world of forests and open meadows. This change of atmosphere is marked by the famous Hunters’ Chorus (Jägerchor), a lively and confident choral scene that represents the harmony of nature and traditional rural life. The chorus is prepared by prominent horn calls, strongly associated with hunting and the forest. The entire choral section, with its spirited exclamations of “Jo-ho-tra-la-la,” is repeated, reinforcing the sense of communal joy and reassurance after the darkness of the previous act.

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