Five Songs for Lefkas
op. 27, 2005
I. Moonlight in Lefkas
II. In the Agora of Lefkas in the Morning
III. Ode to Maria Faneromeni
IV. Dawn in Ligia
V. Lefkas Dance
For string orchestra
Duration: 14 min.
Commissioned by the Lefkas Festival on the occasion of the 50th anniversary of the Lefkas Festival
World premiere: 7 August 2005, Lefkas Festival, Greece. Orchestra: Kamerata Athens, conductor: Konstantia Gourzi
Composer’s notes
Five Songs for Lefkas is a commission for the 50th anniversary of the Lefkas Festival. The island of Lefkas, with which I am very closely connected, is my father’s homeland, where I often went as a child and had my first strong experiences of nature, among other things.
The composition consists of five melodies that are dramaturgically arranged into this cycle with different timbres and rhythms. Each piece is linked to a specific emotional memory of places on the island, experiences and moments in nature that impressed me as a child. Five miniatures – like a breeze – that evoke different emotions.
The first piece Moonlight in Lefkas features a lovely melody that moves between the violins and violas and reminded me of a certain moonlight on the island. The piece creates a relaxed, slightly melancholy mood.
The second piece, In the Agora of Lefkas in the Morning, consists of a strong rhythm, sounds and melodies with even and odd beats. The result is a strong mixture of sounds that can be heard in the morning at the market of the island’s capital.
The third piece Ode to Maria Faneromeni is dedicated to the Maria Monastery “Faneromeni” (Faneromeni means: the one who appeared). This monastery is a very important pilgrimage site on the island. I heard my first Easter chants there as a child and they made a great impression on me. In this piece, even though it is shorter than the others, the melody is carried by the violins and different timbres are created by the viola, cellos and double basses. Overall, this gives the piece a ritualistic character.
Dawn in Ligia the fourth piece, has the character of a barcarole. The cellos and double basses play a rhythmic theme throughout to support the melodic lines of the violins and violas. It is dedicated to the small fishing village of Ligia, where I first saw the small boats that brought the fish ashore.
The fifth and final piece, Lefkas Dance, sounds like a dance. The first violins begin with a lively melody, after which the other groups build up a rhythmic carpet. The melody is later taken over by the violas and cellos until all three groups play it together. The piece reminds me of the first experiences I had on Lefkas with the wind and the sea view.
Dramaturgically, these pieces fit into a contemporary or classical program of a string orchestra.