The Battle of Thermopylae (Paean for Solo Lyre)

THE BATTLE OF THERMOPYLAE (PAEAN FOR SOLO LYRE)

In Classical antiquity, a Paean was a song of triumph. It comes from the Greek παιάν (also παιήων or παιών), meaning "song of triumph, any solemn song or chant." Typically the paean was in the ancient Greek Dorian mode and was accompanied by the kithara, which was the instrument of the ancient Greek god of music, Apollo. Paeans meant to be sung on the battlefield were accompanied by aulos and kithara. The ancient Greek Dorian Mode must not be confused with the “Dorian” mode we are familiar with today. The names of musical modes in use today, (e.g. Dorian, Mixolydian etc) although having the same names as the original Greek musical modes, were actually labelled with all the wrong original Greek names during the Middle Ages! Apparently, the Greeks counted intervals from top to bottom. When medieval ecclesiastical scholars tried to interpret the ancient texts, they counted from bottom to top, jumbling the information. The misnamed medieval modes are only distinguished by the ancient Greek modes of the same name, by being labelled “Church Modes”. It was due to a misinterpretation of the Latin texts of Boethius, that medieval modes were given the wrong Greek names. According to an article on Greece in the New Grove Dictionary of Music and Musicians, the original ancient Greek names for species of the octave included the following (on white keys):

B-B: Mixolydian E-E: Dorian A-A: Hypodorian D-D: Phrygian G-G: Hypophrygian C-C: Lydian F-F: Hypolydian

More details on the original Ancient Greek Modes can also be found here: http://www.midicode.com/tunings/greek.shtml According to Plato & Aristotle, the ancient Greek Dorian Mode was the most "manly" of all the musical modes - they even went so far as to suggest that it could inspire bravery in battle. For what Plato & Aristotle had this to say about these ancient musical modes, also please see this fascinating link: http://www.pathguy.com/modes.htm

THE INSPIRATION FOR THIS COMPOSITION This Paean, composed for solo lyre, was inspired by the triumph of the outstanding bravery of the 300 Spartans who managed to fend off the entire might of the Persian army for 2 full days at the battle of Thermopylae in 480 BCE: "The vastly outnumbered Greeks held off the Persians for seven days (including three of battle) before the rear-guard was annihilated in one of history's most famous last stands. During two full days of battle the small force led by King Leonidas I of Sparta blocked the only road by which the massive Persian army could pass. After the second day of battle a local resident named Ephialtes betrayed the Greeks by revealing a small path that led behind the Greek lines. Leonidas, aware that his force was being outflanked, dismissed the bulk of the Greek army and remained to guard the rear with 300 Spartans, 700 Thespians, 400 Thebans and perhaps a few hundred others, most of whom were killed" (quoted from Wikipedia).

LYRE PLAYING TECHNIQUES USED IN THIS PIECE This piece has been one of my most adventurous yet, in exploring the potential of what is actually possible to play on the Kithara-style lyre of antiquity. In the passages of dramatic rhythmic strumming (a technique still practiced today, by the Krar lyre players of Eritrea, whereby basic chords can be strummed by blocking those strings not required to sound in the chord with the left hand whilst strumming the open strings with a plectrum in the right hand), I attempt to imitate the pitch bends possible with the "whammy bar" on an electric guitar, by wobbling the treble string of my lyre with my left wrist, whilst strumming the chord with the plectrum in my right hand! The ancient Greek Dorian mode is indeed one of the most fascinating musical modes - I find that when it is played with vigour, as Plato & Aristotle describe, the effect is certainly "manly", yet when played delicately, the effect on the listener is to increase the feeling of concentration. In this respect, I find the ancient Greek Dorian mode one of the most emotionally intense musical modes ever used in History. It is such a tragedy that in the Western world, we have become so accustomed to the relentlessly standardised, and dare I say it, bland use of just major and minor scales. A whole vista of musical expression has been lost, with the sad disuse of the wonderful, original ancient Greek Modes and their unique emotional effects on the listener...