The New Zeibekiko (clarino, Greek percussion, orchestra)

The New Zeibekiko is a journey through 2,500 years of Hellenic musical history, from the temples of ancient Delphi to the exhilarating heart of 21st century Athens and the Greek islands. Sacred, profane and thrilling, I tried to assemble a powerful musical odyssey, bringing together living practitioners of mystical, musical arts with the rich vibrancy of today’s symphony orchestra. Manos Achalinotopoulos and Petros Kourtis are custodians of ancient musical traditions. They are master musicians, deep, soulful, and electrifying.

This project was the next step forward from a collaboration I'd been invited onto by the Netherlands Blazers Ensemble in 2004. There, we presented a program based on much of the same music, with Manos and percussionist Vagelis Karipis. This program was subsequently peresented by the same two Greek soloists and Stroma new music ensemble at the NZ Arts Festival, in Wellington, in 2006.

As the Auckland Philharmonia's composer in residence in 2010 and 2011, I suggested an orchestral adaptation of this show and we made it happen. The audience was phenomenally receptive (something you can clearly hear in the recordings below). The reviewer of this concert gave a lacklustre, culturally condescending review, which I felt the need to challenge - asking if the intensity of the crowd's passionate response to the music and the performance, and the electric cultural vibrancy being shared, was not something that should have been acknowledged in his writing.

Movements

I. Manos solo

II. Bacchic

III. To Ponemeno Stithos Mou

IV. Ianni to Mandili Sou

V. Kartsigar

VI. Tarantismo

VII. Byzantine Memories

VIII. Percussion Highlight

IX. Aeolian Song

X. Tecmessa's Lament

XI. Hymn to the Muse

XII. First Pythian Ode

XIII. Doxastiko

XIV. Maktrismos

XV. Aivaliotiko

XVI. Maenads

Full Instrumentation

Clarino; 2(pic),2(ca),2(B-flat & E-flat),2(cb.); 4331; timp, 3perc; harp; strings

Solo Clarino

2 Flutes (dbl pic)
2 Oboes (dbl ca)
2 Clarinets (Bb & Eb)
2 Bassoons (dbl cb)

4 Horns
3 Tumpets
3 Trombones
Tuba

Timpani
3 Percussion

Harp

Strings

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Review

Rod Biss, The Listener, April 2011

Psathas is a master at melding different musical cultures and different genres. For this concert, we heard him as arranger, transcriber and composer. He is a New Zealander whose roots and musical heart are in Greece, with this concert his unfaltering homage to his sources.

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Resources

RESEARCHERS: EXPLORE THE NEW ZEIBEKIKO SOLO CLARINO, SOLO PERCUSSION, ORCHESTRA AT THE ALEXANDER TURNBULL LIBRARY

PERFORMANCE MATERIALS