The Return of Odysseus

Ballet music for full orchestra in three acts and seven scenes
Record by the Moravian Philharmonic, Olomouc Czech Republic, April 2008
Vit Micka Conducting

"The Return of Odysseus" is a ballet based upon the magnificent epic poem "The Odyssey" by Homer. While Homer‘s poem is extremely lengthy and involves numerous characters and overlapping stories, the plot in the ballet has been reduced to a broad-stroke representation of the story. Seven major events in the story line are depicted with the intention of suggesting the essence of the epic poem itself.

What the Press Says:
The Return of Odysseus – 
Complete Ballet for Full Orchestra

…expressive and dramatic, showing Raines' well developed instinct for using the right instrumental combination at the right moment... builds in mystery and intensity, making highly effective use of the brass at the climactic moment…robust …truly thrilling…sensationally scintillating writing...– Atlanta Audio Society

…Dance of the Suitors is a hellish and deliberately unrefined depiction of Penelope’s “suitors.” – American Record Guide

The balletic nature of the music is everywhere apparent, sometimes intriguingly so (the shady nature of the Dance of the suitors, for example). The music for The Cyclops is graphically ominous in its snaking melodic contours and generally low pitch, while the ethereal Song of the Sirens, generally high and seductive, acts as good contrast. If some of the utterances seem filmic and occasionally heart-on-sleeve, that is not necessarily a bad thing in the context of an unfolding narrative such as this. Blues inflects some of the lines of The Kingdom of the Dead, which 
also includes some of the most dissonant music of the entire score. Primal rhythms generate the tension in The Return of Odysseus...the Moravian Philharmonic and their conductor Vít Micka, have clearly spent much time in preparation for this recording. – Fanfare Magazine

…the pièce de résistance…expertly scored and very well suited for choreography. With repeated listens, The Return of Odysseus really grows on you; some of its motifs and melodies stick in your head, while the rest of it retains its freshness and sense of surprise. – All Music Guide

… has drama running all the way through it. The orchestration is rich and imaginative, and the rhythmic writing has resonances of Stravinsky without ever becoming predictable or generic…the music is creative, expressive and extremely enjoyable. Raines’ plentiful influences create a rich tapestry of sound which never stays still and has the sense of a modern day spectacle; one can imagine a contemporary act such as Cirque de Soleil working to this music… – Flute World / Music Web

The Return Of Odysseus Part 6 Act III The Return Of Odysseus

The Return Of Odysseus Part 5 Act II The Kingdom Of The Dead

The Return Of Odysseus Part 3 Act II The Cyclops

The Return Of Odysseus Part 2 Act I Dance Of The Suitors

The Return Of Odysseus Part 1 Act I Athena Visits Ithaca

“A Quickening” Concerto for Flutes and Percussion. Scored for 11 flutes and 4 percussion, (Duration 10’) Premiered at the Florida State University (this recording.) Performances at the Florida Flute Fair in Orlando, and the National Flute Association convention in New Orleans. Made possible by a grant from the Brannen Fund for New Music. Published by Falls House Press.

A Quickening

Echoes Of Sarah - Chamber Music/Flute  0:44

7 Memories - Chamber Music/Flute  1:06

More often than not, composers will take inspiration from those who have come before, whether 300 years or 30 years before. Raines unabashedly takes his cue from both Stravinsky's Pulcinella and Brian Wilson's Surf's Up (here, the title of the second movement) for his Seven Memories.

Seven Memories

Robert's career has spanned both music and visual arts, creating award- winning work in both fields. Raised in New York City’s Greenwich Village by parents who were active in the arts, he was immersed in music, theater, literature, and the visual arts from an early age. His experience includes working for a number of years as a guitarist and composer in New York City, producing as well as performing on many recordings of jazz, blues, and popular music. He has composed for both theater and film. In 2001, following an extremely successful period in the graphic arts, he refocused his energies on music, completing both Masters and Doctorate studies in composition by 2007.

Robert served as Program Director (Dean), of a new online Bachelors degree in music Music Production at Full Sail University in Orlando from 2009 through 2011. He was responsible for building a program to teach music composition, theory, and production online. He hired and supervised all faculty of approximately 25 people, and wrote and/or directed the creation of all curricula and teaching materials.

He's an active composer and educator, bringing to both endeavors his trademark enthusiasm and appreciation for artists and students from diverse backgrounds and disciplines. He has composed a sizeable body of art music, released several CDs of original compositions, and toured the United States and Europe. Robert is well versed in the latest music computer technologies and maintains a state-of-the-art recording studio.

Robert has taught university level courses in theory and composition and has received a number of prestigious awards and commissions for his compositions.

7 Memories - Chamber Music/Flute 1:06

Robert Raines

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