Gluck’s Melodie “Dance of the Blessed Spirits” from his opera Orfeo ed Euridice is one of the most enchanting melodies in all of music. It depicts the sorrowful song of Orpheus, a legendary musician in Greek mythology who journeyed to the underworld to plead for the release of his deceased wife Euridice. Orpheus’ playing of the lyre was so inspired that the spirits of the underworld were moved to tears, and they granted his request to return Euridice to him, on the condition that he did not look back at her until they had reached the land of the living. Sadly, Orpheus was unable to resist his beautiful wife’s pleas to look at her, and she fell back into the darkness of death, leaving Orpheus devastated and alone. Wen Lei Gu
Classical Music | Violin Music
Christoph Gluck
Dance of the Blessed Spirits, from Orfeo ed Euridice Play
Recorded on 01/23/2012, uploaded on 01/23/2012
Musician's or Publisher's Notes
Arr. by Fritz Kreisler
Gluck’s Melodie “Dance of the Blessed Spirits” from his opera Orfeo ed Euridice is one of the most enchanting melodies in all of music. It depicts the sorrowful song of Orpheus, a legendary musician in Greek mythology who journeyed to the underworld to plead for the release of his deceased wife Euridice. Orpheus’ playing of the lyre was so inspired that the spirits of the underworld were moved to tears, and they granted his request to return Euridice to him, on the condition that he did not look back at her until they had reached the land of the living. Sadly, Orpheus was unable to resist his beautiful wife’s pleas to look at her, and she fell back into the darkness of death, leaving Orpheus devastated and alone. Wen Lei Gu
More music by Christoph Gluck
Dance of the Blessed Spirits, from Orfeo ed Euridice
Melodie
Mélodie d'Orfée (tr.Sgambati)
Performances by same musician(s)
Fugue in A Major
Sonata No. 1 in d minor for Violin and Piano, Op. 75
Largo al Factotum from Rossini’s “The Barber of Seville"
Classical Music for the Internet Era™
Courtesy of International Music Foundation.