Four Greek Songs for soprano, flute, bassoon, timpani and strings

Abstract

FOUR GREEK SONGS makes abundant use of the qualities of Greek folk music. Rhythm is an intrinsic part of Greek music, coming from antiquity and surviving in the folk music of the present day. The rhythm is based on a quantitative relationship between long and short accentuation in various combinations, dependent on the text and resulting in many meter changes. The harmonic language of the songs is modal, also derived from folk music. The melodies are original, but retain the flavor of Greek folk songs. The first song, “Serenade at the Window of the Wise Man,” is ABA in form. The first section is in the aeolian and dorian modes with a reflective quality. The B section resembles a Greek dance, only to return to the reflective modal nature of the opening once more. The second song, “From my Window,” is a dance in mixolydian mode where the rhythm becomes important for guiding the direction of the music. The third song, slower and more lyrical in quality than the first two, is controlled by the modes, primarily aeolian and mixolydian. The fourth song, without words, is a dance where the rhythm again predominates, resulting in widely varying meter changes and a dramatic climax.