The MusMap Composition Database

The Styx

Year composed: 2008-9
Duration: 11 mins
Instrumentation: Soloist Percussion, Flute, Oboe, Clarinet, Bassoon, Horn, Violin I, Violin II, Viola, Cello, Contrabass. (String parts can be performed as solos or by small multiples).
Program Notes: The Styx for large chamber ensemble was written in 2008-9 for the �Kammerklang� project and Claire Edwardes as a solo percussionist. In ancient Greek mythology, the River Styx was the division between the land of the living and the land of the dead or the underworld, known as �Hades�. This work is influenced by some of the features and imagery of this mythological river. The first section of this work represents the mystery of the River Styx, as well as the division between two worlds. This section predominantly features blurry musical textures, conveying an image of haziness and contrasts two musical ideas. These two gestures are three arpeggiated harmonic spectra and three arpeggiated sub-harmonic spectra, resulting in a contrast between clear high register textures and low register muddy coloured textures. Over time this is developed so that these two textures are transposed up or down into the middle register, making them both very similar by the end of the process. The middle section of The Styx portrays the miraculous powers that the ancient Greeks believed the river possessed. Greek mythology often speaks of the river making men invulnerable or immortal and that the ancient gods were made to drink from the river when they had failed to follow through on a binding oath, resulting in them losing their voice. The middle section portrays this by using more brutal textures contrasted by sudden silences. There are also �free� textures where there is no rhythm, predominantly used to accommodate cadenzas in the solo percussion as well as very primal sounding melodic lines and quartertones. In the Christian era, many ancient Greek beliefs and symbols appear to have been demonised in many Christian texts. Hades is often referred to as Hell and the River Styx has often been described as a feature of Hell where those who have sinned are drowned in its muddy waters. This is the basis of the work�s final section, which retains much of the brutal atmosphere of the middle section, but is further emphasised by war-like percussion material and aggressive textures in the rest of the ensemble. The Styx ends though, with a short coda similar to the work�s opening that gradually fades. Peter McNamara
Recordings: Sample Included. Claire Edwardes-Solo Percussion with the Kammerklang Orchestra, Conducted by Hoshimi Sakai. Studio recording at the Sydney Conservatorium of Music, May 2009.
Additional Information: Contact the composer directly for copies of scores and parts. A CD is available to purchase from Kammerklang upon request.