Edinburgh Napier University

  This work is for large orchestra, mezzo-soprano (Eurydice) and three other women’s voices (SSA). Certain models of contemporary music visitations to classical legends, informed the research direction for this work, especially: Nono’s Prometeo and Xenakis’ Medea. In each of these works, as is the case with Love Eurydice there is an attempt at the re-contextualisation of ‘perceived’ music practice from classical antiquity with contemporary compositional techniques. To this end Love Eurydice utilises harmonic, melodic and rhythmic structures generated from whole number ratios, central to philosophical thought in ancient Greece, as well as certain features derived from Rembetika. With respect to more contemporary music techniques it utilises probabalistic harmonic, rhythmic and melodic structures (aided by the programming environment Open Music), which in turn generate spectrally-related harmonic fields. This combinative approach is also true of the orchestral and vocal writing, where extended as well as more traditional techniques are employed, often side by side.

There are of course many works in the operatic/music theatre repertoire that have the legend of Orpheus as central to the drama – so important is he as a symbol for the very power of music - however, few, if any, have chosen to explore the legend’s aspect from the perspective of Eurydice, nor the inglorious downfall of Orpheus subsequent to his loss of his love as are explored in this work.