Hymns Renewed bridges the ancient and the modern, blending some of the earliest known Greek melodies with contemporary extended techniques for flute, cello, and tam-tam. The piece draws from Petros Tabouris' reconstructions of the Hymn to the Muse and Hymn to Calliope and Apollo, borrowing these melodies and placing them in a new context.
The work's symmetrical form reflects themes of memory and transformation. The first two movements, Hymn to the Muse I and Hymn to Calliope and Apollo I, introduce the primary melodies with contrasting characters. The structure then turns inward: Hymn to Mnemosyne I recalls an earlier theme, referencing the Greek goddess of memory. At the center, Khaos - named for the primordial god of chaos - disrupts the balance with intense, unrelenting force. The symmetry then unfolds in reverse: Hymn to Mnemosyne II restores the earlier hymns, while Hymn to the Muse II and Hymn to Calliope and Apollo II return with swapped styles.
Instrumentation:
Flute
Cello
Tam-Tam
Duration: ~11 minutes
Composed Spring 2024
Hymns Renewed bridges the ancient and the modern, blending some of the earliest known Greek melodies with contemporary extended techniques for flute, cello, and tam-tam. The piece draws from Petros Tabouris' reconstructions of the Hymn to the Muse and Hymn to Calliope and Apollo, borrowing these melodies and placing them in a new context.
The work's symmetrical form reflects themes of memory and transformation. The first two movements, Hymn to the Muse I and Hymn to Calliope and Apollo I, introduce the primary melodies with contrasting characters. The structure then turns inward: Hymn to Mnemosyne I recalls an earlier theme, referencing the Greek goddess of memory. At the center, Khaos - named for the primordial god of chaos - disrupts the balance with intense, unrelenting force. The symmetry then unfolds in reverse: Hymn to Mnemosyne II restores the earlier hymns, while Hymn to the Muse II and Hymn to Calliope and Apollo II return with swapped styles.
Instrumentation:
Flute
Cello
Tam-Tam
Duration: ~11 minutes
Composed Spring 2024
