Alto Saxophone; Piano
(Score)
SKU:
HL.14010208
For
Alto Saxophone and
Piano. Composed by
Brian Elias. Music Sales
America. Classical. Sheet
Music, Instrumental Work.
With Text language:
English. Chester Music
#CH61347. Published by
Chester Music
(HL.14010208).
UPC:
884088810993.
8.25x11.75x0.131
inches.
Pythikos
Nomos is scored for alto
saxophone (or clarinet in
A) and piano. It was at
the request of John-
Edward Kelly that Brian
Elias first decide to
write a work for
saxophone and piano.
'Pythikos Nomos'
(Pyhton's Law) is an
ancient Greek musical
form, invented by Sakadas
in 586 BC for the Pythian
games to describe the
battle between Apollo and
the monster on the slopes
of Parnassus. It is
reputedly the first known
genre of programme music.
Brian Elias decided that
the characteristic sounds
of the saxophone would be
well suited to ancient
Greek rhythms, and was
interested in the
implications of this form
as an early sonata shape.
According to legend,
Apollo fought and
defeated the monster on
the site, which came to
be called Delphi. He
returned to Delphi in
triumph after a period of
purification escorted by
priests singing hymns of
praise. Several versions
of the instrumental form
exist following the
general storyline. Brian
chose to base his piece
around six sections: (i)
Peira (introduction),
(ii) Kataleusmos (Apollo
incites the monster to
battle), (iii) Imabikon
(the battle), (iv)
Spondeion (hymn of
victory), (v)
Katachoreusis (victory
dance) (vi) Syrinxes (the
last breaths of the dying
monster). The central
hymn of victory
incorporates a quote from
the first Delphic Hym, a
surviving fragment of
ancient Greek music. This
work was written for
John-Edward Kelly and Bob
J.W.Versteegh, who gave
the first performance on
1st July 1988 at the
Wigmore Hall, London.
Duration c.10 minutes.
The score is in C.
