The flute joins in with a more prominent countermelody to the oboe, with the two working together to represent Spartacus and Phrygia.Ī slow rumble in the lower strings lets us know that the music is moving forward from this solo melody and accompaniment form. The lower strings begin to enter slowly to support the melodies above, and the cellos play small countermelodies every eight bars. The harp is also playing here, and the delicate plucking of the strings to accentuate the scalic movement is effective and adds to the intense atmosphere. The oboe lyrically plays the love theme, with the accompaniment of the upper strings, who play the same offbeat quaver movement from the introduction. A slow ascending scale played by cellos moves us into the next section of the work, with the oboe finishing the top end of the scale and easing the music into the famous ‘love theme’ for the first time. The offbeat quaver movement in the string parts keeps a gentle rocking feel as various wind instruments begin to develop the opening theme of the piece. Opening with a delicate syncopated rhythm from the upper strings, the flute embellishes the developing theme with a sequence of trills. Within the opera it appears in the second act, when the slave women are set free, and Spartacus and Phrygia celebrate. Although most of the music from the ballet is not heard outside its context the Adagio is often used as a stand alone concert piece. Perhaps one of his most famous works is the Adagio of Spartacus and Phrygia from his 1954 ballet: Spartacus. The ballet follows the trials and tribulations faced by Spartacus as the leader of the slave uprising against the Romans.

Adagio for strings midi