S’on me regarde (2004) a labyrinth for flute and harp.

Performed by Elizabeth Janzen, flute, and Matthew Agen, harp.

S’on me regarde is based on the 13th century French motet S'on me regarde/Prennés I garde/Hé mi enfant (the original motet is heard
in its entirety at the beginning of the work).  The texts of the duplum and triplum (the upper two voices) of the motet—which, oddly 
enough, are close to being the same but are not quite identical—concern the complaints of a young woman who wants very much to be noticed, and who indeed finds herself the object of attention from two men. The first one she herself desires, and hopes to find a 
secret place to be with him; the second one she despises and curses with hell-fire, because he is jealous of her and (it would seem) is 
trying to stop her from going to the one she wants to be with. The work ends just as she has made the firm decision to meet her lover
in defiance of the jealous other.  Under this whole scene is the ambiguous, repeated line in the tenor: “Oh! My children!”

The genesis of my work evolved from a contemplation on the meanings of the texts in the original motet.  The strange effect of the 
upper voices, so alike yet not quite the same, seemed to me to be like the thought-echoes of someone who is rehearsing an idea over 
and over again in her mind, or speaking an idea aloud while intently listening to herself think it. (I am not assuming this was 
necessarily the intent of the authors.) On the other hand the text of the lower part seemed to be an omniscient voice speaking from the 
Beyond, a voice amused but also warning, with the possibility of a deeper lament.  I began to wonder Who it was who was speaking in 
this voice, to wonder what happened to the girl and her two lovers, both the invited and uninvited.  I imagined her entering a dark 
wood in search of the one she loves, I imagined her thoughts, her fantasies as she seeks him out: They dance a saltarello together, they 
hear their desire for each other transfigured through an unseen troubadour’s ballad. Now she wanders further into the labyrinth of the forest, desperate to reach its tangled heart where she knows her lover waits.  But who is that behind her?  Who has followed her into 
the woods? Are things really as she believes?  Has she misunderstood the intentions of the Jealous One? Is the one she seeks truly the proper object of her desire, or is it the other way around?  Is the Pursuer the One who truly loves her and wishes to save her from what waits for her in the forest? Oh! My children! 

To paint my medieval picture I employed musical gestures drawn from masters as far distant in time from each other as Perotin and 
Mauchaut.  My goal was to retain as much as possible the musical qualities of those ages within the framework of a modern score with 
its extended range and transpositional possibilities, to observe from a distance of seven centuries, as it were, the lost world of courtly 
love, trouvères, and The Romance of the Rose.

S'on Me Regarde (2004)

This piece was premiered here at Ades Performance Hall at Manhattan School of Music on February 19 2024. 
Jonah Murphy - Flute
Anna Zhang - Bassoon
Zachary Solano - Tuba
Mischa Gerbrecht and Hwanee Pak - Percussion
Melis Turker - Viola
Conductor- Isaac Cortijo

Composer's Note:
‘Van Gogh’s View’ is a piece that aims to depict the mental, spiritual, and
physical processes that Van Gogh experienced when painting some of his
greatest masterpieces.
Each movement of this piece focuses on a different painting, and so a
different aspect of Van Gogh’s character and life.
In my depictions, I have undertaken a light-hearted tone, one which Van
Gogh is not often granted. After reading Van Gogh’s personal letters, I
discovered a man in awe of the world and determined to share his
fascination with others. This is much disconnected from the tortured
artist we see him as today.

Dit stuk is voor Nana en Opa

Van Gogh's View (2023)

One of the world’s leading music conservatories, Manhattan School of Music is deeply committed to excellence in education, performance, and creative activity, and to the cultural enrichment of the larger community. Founded as a settlement music school by Janet Daniels Schenck in 1918, today it is recognized for its superbly talented students; a world-renowned artist-teacher faculty; and innovative curricula. MSM prepares students to be passionate performers and composers and imaginative, effective contributors to the arts and to society. Our graduates are among the most distinguished artists performing in concert halls, opera houses, and on jazz stages throughout the world today.

Recorded by Myers Recording Studio of Manhattan School of Music
Christianne Orto, Dean of Distance Learning and Recording Arts, Producer
Chris Shade, Recording Manager, Associate Producer
Kevin Boutote, Chief Recording Engineer and Mastering Engineer
Yao Lu and Sarah Bruguiere, Recording Engineers

*Recorded by Leszek Maria Wojcik, Noriko Okabe, and Shao-Ting Sun at the Cathedral of St. John the Divine

© 2015 Manhattan School of Music.
All Rights Reserved. 

MSM Symphony, Symphonic Chorus & Oratorio Society NY - VERDI Requiem - VII. Libera Me, Dies Irae*

Lullaby & Fugue
Composed by Aris Antoniades
Yutong Li, Chinese dulcimer
Sheng-Ching Hsu, violin
Amber Ho, cello
Daniel Feng, piano

Score available for purchase: https://www.arisantoniades.com/product-page/lullaby-fugue

This recording is from the premiere performance at the Riverside Church (Christs' Chapel, NYC, on August 4, 2017

This piece was commissioned by the Sforzando Composers' Collective for the New Asia Chamber Music Society.

When I was presented with the challenge of composing a work combining traditional Chinese instruments with conventional Western instruments, I was quite intrigued: merging different sound-worlds has always been a strong compositional interest of mine. I am fascinated by folk music and, being born and raised on the Mediterranean island of Cyprus, much of my music is greatly influenced by my Greek cultural heritage. This piece is no different: I’ve attempted to use the enchanting sound of the Chinese Dulcimer in a way that reminds me of my home.

Lullaby and Fugue is a work inspired by the magical art of storytelling. I still remember many of the bedtime stories my grandparents used to tell me when I was young. Their stories were not just entertaining, but also didactic: I follow many of their teachings to this very day, and I believe that these stories have played a vital role in shaping my character. The Lullaby portrays the soothing aspect of a bedtime story, whilst the Fugue represents the hidden, ‘cerebral’ aspect. I would like to thank my friends at the Sforzando Composers Collective for this great opportunity and all of the performers for their time and dedication. Additionally, I would like to thank my mentor, Dr. J. Mark Stambaugh for helping me discover the true “magic” of counterpoint, back in college. Finally, I would like to dedicate this piece to the greatest storytellers in the world: my grandparents George, Panayiota, Anthis, and Persoulla.

Website: https://www.arisantoniades.com

S'on Me Regarde (2004)

J. Mark Stambaugh

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