Music and Personal Memory #2
THE POWER OF THE ORPHEUS MYTH
Think about the loss of a loved one or some musical icon with whom you have identified, and how we will often immerse ourselves in the music associated with that loved one, perhaps all part of an effort to bring them back to life.
A supreme example of this effort at resurrection plays out in one of the great Greek myths, the legend of Orpheus. The power of his song and his lyre was such that he could not only calm wild beasts; he could also soften the heart of the god of the underworld and almost succeeded in leading his beloved Eurydice back to the world of the living. That said, my plan is to offer a series of Orpheus- inspired Substack posts, with musical examples ranging from the early 1600’s to our own time.
My first example is an aria from Claudio Monteverdi’s L’Orfeo, a landmark work in the history of opera from 1607. In it, Orpheus expresses both his grief at the loss of his beloved and his plan to bring her back to life. It begins as follows: “Tu sei morta,” (literally, “you are dead”). It is followed by the phrase “ed io respiro” (“yet I breathe”).
This aria is rich in many details of word painting - the extent to which the power of melody and harmony bring the imagery of the lyrics to life.
Let me share the following links which showcase two contrasting renditions:
Please let me know what you think of these two versions. If you have any thoughts about future topics, please let me know in the comments below.
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