This month we embark on an exploration of music centred around folklore, fairytales and mythology. To our delight many of the works in this playlist focus on the vibrant female heroines central to many mythological tales. Alice Chance’s Infernal Women and Evan Lawson’s Sirens, highlight the dark mysticism of the women of classical mythology who were both beautiful and a force to be feared.

Athena, the Goddess of Wisdom and War is explored by Aristea Mellos while Chris Williams describes the depth of the goddess Polyhymnia, a daughter of Zeus. Both goddesses are associated with sacred poetry and song and they inherent mysticism of music when entwined with wisdom and knowledge.

Ostara, the germanic Goddess of Spring and fertility is the central figure in Cassie To’s Ostara’s Equinox. The notions of rebirth in nature, equality and fertility that came with the coming of spring are explored through pagan mythology that has been subsequently lost as it has been absorbed by other practices.

Annie Pirotta and Holly Harrison explore the exciting nature of folk tales and how seemingly innocent tales associated with childhood harbour dark truths. Both composers focus on the writings of Lewis Carroll, building upon the evocative imagery evoked by this work.

To our opening track, Peter McNamara’s The Styx, a journey into the under world. A discussion of the end of life, the journey’s we take and an opportunity to reflect on the nature of life and the ways in which mysticism might answer the unanswerable questions.

SOUNDCLOUD

Hear something that catches your attention? To find out more about a musical work, click on the track name in the playlist and then again on ‘view track’. To find out more about a particular composer, click on their name in the ‘Details’ section below.

DETAILS

1. Peter McNamara, The Styx
   Performed by Kammerklang, Claire Edwardes & Hoshimi Sakai.
2. Holly Harrison, Cabbages and Kings
   Performed by orkest de ereprijs and Enikő Gősi, and conducted by Rob Vermeulen.
3. Chris Williams, Polyhymnia
   For solo double bass.
4. Evan Lawson, Sirens
   For String Quartet and Soprano.
5. Alice Chance, Infernal Women
   Performed by Luminescence Chamber Singers conducted by Gordon Hamilton.
6. Cassie To, Ostara’s Equinox
   Performed by the Adelaide Wind Orchestra, conducted by David John Lang
   
7. Annie Pirotta, Jabberwock – 1. The Dance of the Mome Raths
   Performed by the Monash University Saxophone Big Band.
8. Aristea Mellos, Athena for soprano, cello, and piano.
   Performed by Madeline Cain, soprano; Daniel Pesca, piano; Hyun Ray Kim, cello.

We’d love to hear about your listening experience! Share your thoughts or send messages of support to our featured composers and performers in the comment box below. We also encourage you to click through to Soundcloud to like, comment and subscribe to Making Waves as well as the composers, performers, and presenters featured.

The Mythical Waves playlist will be featured until the 1st of May 2018. All previous playlists from 2015 to present are available in our blog archives for the life of the project, so please do explore the website for previously featured sounds.