Death of Melisande, The

The Death of Melisande

by Jean Sibelius

Arranged for flute orchestra by Shaul Ben-Meir

4 flutes, 2 alto flutes, 2 bass flutes, contrabass flute

Pelleas et Melisande is the incidental music in ten parts written in 1905 by Jean Sibelius for the dramatic play of Maurice Maeterlinck.  Sibelius later re-arranged the music into a nine movement suite, published as Op. 46, which has become one of his most popular concert works.

The “Death of Melisande” is the final movement of the suite, the conclusion of the tragic story of the doomed love affair.  This moving music lends itself well to the melodic and warm timbre of the flute orchestra.