Tone Poem No. 1 | "Orpheus in the Underworld" 1

Score: http://www.scribd.co...-the-Underworld

PROGRAM NOTES
Orpheus' wife, Eurydice, is dead. Even in the beauty of reality -- the sun is shining, distant birds are singing, life is peaceful -- he cannot rid himself of thoughts of his long lost wife and decides to try to convince Hades, King of the Underworld, to let Eurydice come back to the realm of the living with him. With his harp, Orpheus descended into the Underworld. Around him are the follies of the Underworld, ghostly souls, savage horses and wicked vultures, swooping in at him; a normal mortal would have perished any number of times, but Orpheus had his harp and he charmed these beasts and Cerberus - the three-headed monster dog of Hades who guarded the Underworld -- calming then, and they letting him pass. Facing Hades and his cold Queen Persephone, he plays for them showing his sorrow at the loss of his love. The heart that was frozen by Hades' abduction melted in Persephone's breast and a tear rolled down her cheek. Even Hades could not help weeping. They let Orpheus through to Eurydice, but warn him very carefully: Eurydice would follow him into the light of the world and once she entered the sunlight she would be changed from a shade back to a woman. But if Orpheus doubted, if he looked back to see her, she would be lost to him forever.
Orpheus rejoices. He turns and leaves the dark hall of Hades and begins his ascent back to life. As he walked he rejoiced that his wife would soon be with him again. He listens closely for her footfall behind him, but a shade makes no noise. The closer to the light he got, the more his excitement built and he began to believe that Hades had tricked him to get him out of the Underworld; that Eurydice was not behind him. Only feet away from the light Orpheus lost faith and turned around. He sees Eurydice, but only for a moment as her shade whisks back down among the other dead souls. She was gone. Orpheus was crushed.
Orpheus goes back to the reality of the realm of mortals, but thoughts of Eurydice and the Underworld plague him until madness finally takes his lonely soul, by which time, he will join his beloved in the Underworld.

I really love the tone poem "genre", I guess you could say, so I thought I'd give it a try. Any comments are greatly appreciated! I hope you enjoy it!