Boehm arranged this wonderful aria from Gluck's opera Orpheo originally for the flute but adapted it for the alto when he needed music to help him promote his new instrument. Its darker colours are ideally suited to the contours of the Gluck's sumptuous melody. The new key of two sharps will alter the feel of this arrangement a little and the more Boehm-like faster section inevitably needs a good degree of technical control with secure intonation. Everything lies well within the alto range though and the end result is a piece of music that is simply gorgeous!
