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Album artwork for Dido and Orfeo (after Purcell and Gluck) by Gavin Bryars

This music, for saxophone, viola, cello and piano, was written by Gavin Bryars for ballet and involves a reworking of music from Purcell's Dido and Aeneas and Gluck's Orfeo ed Euridice, just as a previous collaboration, Amjad (BCGBCD10), had taken Tchaikovsky's Swan Lake and Sleeping Beauty as its source. The music originates in extracts from the two operas chosen by the choreographer - sometimes only forty seconds or less - but recomposed into longer pieces. A few of these, like Purcell's Dido's Lament, are well-known, others less so. But each piece, however much it is transformed, extended or modified, is recognisable from the original. The music was recorded live during the ballet's world tour.

Gavin Bryars

Dido and Orfeo (after Purcell and Gluck)

GB Records
Album artwork for Dido and Orfeo (after Purcell and Gluck) by Gavin Bryars
CD

£14.99

Released 29/09/2023Catalogue Number

BCGBCD30

Usually dispatched in 5-10 days

Gavin Bryars

Dido and Orfeo (after Purcell and Gluck)

GB Records
Album artwork for Dido and Orfeo (after Purcell and Gluck) by Gavin Bryars
CD

£14.99

Released 29/09/2023Catalogue Number

BCGBCD30

Usually dispatched in 5-10 days

This music, for saxophone, viola, cello and piano, was written by Gavin Bryars for ballet and involves a reworking of music from Purcell's Dido and Aeneas and Gluck's Orfeo ed Euridice, just as a previous collaboration, Amjad (BCGBCD10), had taken Tchaikovsky's Swan Lake and Sleeping Beauty as its source. The music originates in extracts from the two operas chosen by the choreographer - sometimes only forty seconds or less - but recomposed into longer pieces. A few of these, like Purcell's Dido's Lament, are well-known, others less so. But each piece, however much it is transformed, extended or modified, is recognisable from the original. The music was recorded live during the ballet's world tour.