IV. Black Orpheus (2014) Act I. Seraphina And The Little Theives

Electronic Recording
Artwork: Fire in the Evening by Paul Klee (1929)

Synchronicity I. Tango (2008)

Dionysian rivers flow through me is an electronic composition heavily influenced by the Greek play Bacchae by the tragedian Euripides depicting the sensual siren-like nature of the Bacchants. This sensuality extends to the elliptical shape of the work’s form. The sound scape is a collage between the familiar and unfamiliar drawing on both orchestral and electronic textures. The piece is essentially an aural depiction of the final moments of Pentheus’s life before he is torn limb from limb by the maenads driven mad by the demi- god Dionysos. The haunting sirenesque vocals depict the protagonist enchantment and wonder as he spies on the deadly nymphettes dancing on mountains of Thebes. This gives way to a chase scene led by the emergence of electronic instrumental sounds. The grinding bass synth gives way once more to ethereal voices depicting the euphoria and delirium experienced by Pentheus before he is vanquished. The piece is bookended by ominous metallic textures which serve as framework for the mini-drama.
As with Euripides’s choral odes, the piece aims to move beyond the linear narrative; the dynamic shifts in texture and timbre should serve to remind the listener that the universal themes of ancient antiquity are not bound by time. This work was premiered in 2017 as part of 472’s production of the Bacchae for the triennial Oxford Greek Play at the Oxford playhouse.

Dionysian Rivers Flow Through Me (Electronics)

A musical setting of the third choral Ode from Euripides’s Bacchae. This work was premiered in 2017 as part of 472’s production of the Bacchae for the triennial Oxford Greek Play at the Oxford playhouse 2017.

Elysian Fields (ODE 3)

A musical setting of the Fourth Choral Ode from Euripides's Bacchae. This work was premiered in 2017 as part of 472’s production of the Bacchae for the triennial Oxford Greek Play at the Oxford playhouse 2017.

Nymph-O-Maniac (ODE 4)

This Ode is a musical setting of the 5th Choral Ode from Euripides's Bacchae. This work was premiered in 2017 as part of 472’s production of the Bacchae for the triennial Oxford Greek Play at the Oxford playhouse.

Open Sésame ("Gēgenē!")(ODE 5)

Mallikāmoda is the name given to the fragrant jasmine flower and is also a character in a lesser-known fable from the Padma Purana, one of the eighteen major Hindu Puranas. The story centres around Vihunda, the son of a demon, who falls in love with a female manifestation of Vishnu. The mysterious lady agrees to marry Vihunda on condition that he
worship Śiva with ten million kāmoda flowers. A sage and travelling musician named Nārada informs Vihunda that these flowers manifest from the laughter of a woman named Kāmoda.

When she is happy, these fragrant flowers fall from her lips; but when she cries, her tears produce an odourless red flower that should not be touched. Nārada convinces Vihunda that he need not go to her directly but can collect the flowers when they float in the River Gaṅgā.
However, Vihunda is betrayed when Nārada convinces Kāmoda that Vishnu is about to be born on earth, in one of his incarnations. This thought so depresses Kāmoda that she begins to cry. Flowers pour from her eyes and flow down the Ganges, where Vihunda is waiting. Not
realising that these are the flowers from her tears and not her laughter, he gathers them up in order to worship Śiva. This act infuriates the Goddess Parvati so much that she strikes down Vihunda with her sword.
This piece was composed as a result of collaborative sessions with Dr. Shruti Jauhari. Over a series of Skype conversations, we discussed subjects ranging from time, form, phrase, tone colour, contour, as well as the numerous idiosyncrasies, similarities, and differences between our respective musical traditions. Alongside my initial sketches of the piece, I dedicated a certain amount of time each day to researching the history, theory, and performance practices of Hindustani music, as well as listening to repertoire recommended by Dr. Jauhari. Given that this work arose from a cross-pollination of ideas, the flower seemed an appropriate subject matter.

The piece is loosely modelled on some of the principal formal characteristics of the raga. The harmonic language was created by superimposing several traditional night time rags. I also used several deśītālas listed in the well-known treaties Saṅgītaratnākara (c.1240 CE) by the musicologist and theorist Śārṅgadeva. My treatment of this material is inescapably Western and not intended to be period- or provenance-authentic in any way. The live version of this piece, which will includes vocal improvisations by Shruti Jauhari was premiered on the 28th February 2018 at the Holywell Music Room with Ensemble ISIS.

MALLIKAMODA – Des Oliver

Canvas (Orchestral)

Devil's Due (Act. 2, Scene XIII) from Black Orpheus 

Black Orpheus is a 1 hour and 10-minute orchestral ballet which derives its name from the 1959 Brazilian film by French director Marcel Camus, starring Marpessa Dawn and Breno Mello. It is based on the play Orfeu da Conceição by Vinicius de Moraes. The film is a vibrant cinematic extravaganza depicting 1950’s Brazilian culture and offers intriguing perspectives on the Orpheus myth. Its strong themes, sparse dialogue, and tableaux structures were the source of inspiration for my large-scale dance piece. 
    Devil's Due (Act. 2, Scene XIII) portrays the brief moment of triumph as Orpheus arrives at the gates of Hades and is reunited with his lover, Eurydice. My Ballet is built upon various symmetrical structures of rhythm, whilst the harmonic language, often transformed by way of bilateral and displacement symmetry uses an array of symmetrical scales, mirror harmony, hybrid-modes, and symmetrical tetrachords.

Black Orpheus – Devil's Due/Welcome to Hades (2'58")

Games of Chance (Oxford Philharmonic) Live extract

Music by British born contemporary classical composer, Des Oliver. 


Des Oliver studied composition at the Guildhall School of Music and Drama with Robert Saxton and Simon Bainbridge. In 2000 he won a Scholarship to study with Steve Martland at the Royal Academy of Music in London and has had Master classes with Tom Adés, Nicholas Maw, Paul Patterson, the BBC Singers, Paavo Heininen, Paul Rouders and Simone Fontanelli. At present he is working towards his Doctorate in composition (DPhil) at Worcester College, Oxford. 

 

His music has been performed at the British Music Information Centre (B.M.I.C), the South Bank Centre as part of the Park Lane Group Young Composer's Symposium, The Sheldonian Theatre, Chelmsford Music Festival and Huddersfield Contemporary Music Festival. Commissions include a piece for the Oxford Philomusica, a work for Clio Gould and the Royal Academy of Music Soloists as part of the Arvo Pärt in profile Festival. His short Opera 'Miss Treat', with a libretto by Meredith Oakes, was performed by the Tête á Tête Opera Company at the Bridewell Theatre receiving rave reviews from the Observer, Independent and Telegraph. International performances include Wegelius Hall in Helsinki, Pärnu Music Festival in Estonia, Hudebni Akademie Muzickych umeni (in Prague) and at the II Música Nueva Málaga Internacional Festival in Spain (2009) in association with soloist Emil Sein, Composer/Professor Dino Ghezzo and choreographer Lisa Naugle.


Des Oliver

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