German: Reigen seliger Geister (German for Dance of the Blessed Spirits) is a string quartet composed by Helmut Lachenmann in 1989.
This is Helmut Lachenmann's second string quartet, after Gran Torso (1971–1972) and before Grido (2001). The title is based on the name , from Gluck's opera Orfeo ed Euridice.
The German composer wrote a text on this work entitled "On my Second String Quartet" (1995–2002), published in Écrits et Entretiens.[1]
It takes about half an hour to execute.
This quartet is characterized by its various playing modes, which require to play first flautando, then by playing the bow on the chevilles or the scroll of the instrument, then by "rocket sounds", executed by pushing the bow on the string in an accelerated manner, or in pizzicato. At some point, musicians must use a plectrum and place their instrument on their knees like a guitar.