DCD34188-CD

Sounds from Classical Antiquity: Apollo & Dionysus

The Greek and Roman cultures of classical antiquity have left an indelible mark on European society. The Greek 'muse' is the origin of our concept of 'music', and ancient Greek culture included concert performances with a listening audience, hundreds of years before the rest of the continent.

This fifth and final volume in Delphian's landmark collaboration with the European Music Archaeology Project includes pieces based on fragments of musical notation, found by archaeologists carved into stone or written on papyrus and dated to between 300 BC and 300 AD, as well as new music created to give a contemporary voice to the instruments of the period. Reconstructed by experts drawing on the latest archaeological research, these include the aulos – a double-reed instrument played in pairs and often depicted as belonging to the retinue of the god Dionysus – and the hydraulis, or Roman water organ.

"The reconstructed instrument technology is impressive, from the growling trombone-like lituus and the eloquent twin-piped aulos, to the water-driven hydraulis organ...The actual music is so speculative as to remain puzzling: I was convinced by Stef Conner’s Delphic Paean, while the duet aulodia is pure Steve Reich."

"As a listening experience the 56 minutes of this lovingly couched and variegated musical experience is bound to inform, illuminate and prompt discussion."

Producer: Rupert Till
Recording venue(s): University of Huddersfield, and on 23 October 2017 in the Kulturzentrum Karmeliterkirche, Weißenburg in Bayern, Germany (all others)
Recording dates: 20 November 2015 (tracks 4 & 10), 4-8 June 2017 (tracks 3, 7, 13, 16, 20–22 & 25) and 29 November 2017 (tracks 1, 5 & 11)
Number of discs: 1
Number of tracks: 26
Total playing time: 56.04
First UK release date: 21 September 2018
Album ID: DCD34188

Discover the EMAP series on Delphian ...

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