NIKOS XANTHOULIS: THE RETURN OF THE LYRE OF HERMES

After 1600 years of silence, the seven-stringed lyre of Hermes comes back to life through original works composed especially for this concert by prominent composers from all over the world. The "national" instrument of the ancient Greeks, which accompanied the song of Orpheus, Terpander, Archilochus and of all the "lyrical" poets of antiquity, is being revived in the hands of Nikos Xanthoulis, highlighting the abilities of the ancient musical instrument and rendering it equal to the other instruments. Its sound, which is familiar but also new, to all of us, has the metaphysical ability to put babies to sleep, to soothe souls, to help in dreaming. But, isn’t a dream what we live for?

---

PROGRAMME

Part A
Johann Sebastian Bach: Bourrée 
(1685-1750)

Garry DW Judd: Sonata for Ancient Lyre
                          - The Shadow (Έρεβος)
                          - Empathy (Ενσυναίσθηση)
                          - An Infinite Amount of Summits (Παρνασσός)
 
Thomas Bramel: Jay’s Lyre

Vasco Pereira: Epίtetos
                        - Έtia
                        - Agelceia
                        - Agόrea
                        - Άlcis
                        - Wise Calliope 
                        - Anêmotis
                        - Xénia
 
David Martynuik: Vocalise #4
                           “The Great Bard Sings a Tall-tale of Hyperborea”
 
Nikolas James: Lost Birds

Vincent Kennedy: Maria’s Song

Véronique Bracco: Κέρκυρα… I - Corfu
                              “Heureux qui comme Ulysse, a fait un beau voyage…
                               et retrouve enfin sa bien-aimée”

Part B
Thanasis Dritsas: Argo Ergo Sum

Dimitrios Delfinopoulos: Φαντασία σε Υποδόχμιο ρυθμό

Nikos Xanthoulis: Concerto for Ancient Lyre and Symponic Orchestra
                             (Arramgement for lyre and string quartet)
                             - Allegro
                             - Moderato
                             - Allegro

---