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On Demand

New Sounds

Wednesday, March 18, 2009
  • Odysseus and the Sirens
    Odysseus and the Sirens

    The Sirens

    Hear from Latvian composer Maija Eindelde, and her version of the "Isle of the Sirens" tale from Homer’s Odyssey. Next, there's music from British composer David Bedford, and his instrumental tour de force, "The Odyssey," From it, we'll hear the longest "panel" - "The Sirens" - which relies on a female choir. Plus, works from Laurel MacDonald, Bill Laswell, and others who have taken inspiration from the irresistible, alluring song of the mythological Greek Sirens.

PROGRAM #2763, Siren Songs: Music Inspired By Homer’s Odyssey (First aired on Monday, 2-4-08)

ARTIST(S)

RECORDING

CUT(S)

SOURCE

The Stranglers

La Folie

Golden Brown, excerpt [1:00]

EMI Available on Amazon.com* or download from iTunes

Laurel MacDonald

Luscinia’s Lullaby

Nenia Sirenes [5:00]

Improbable Music #04 www.improbablemusic.com *

Maija Eindelde

At The Edge of the Earth (Pie Zemes Talas)

Isle of the Sirens [6:30]

Latvijas Radio www.music.lv/Composers

Laurel MacDonald

Luscinia’s Lullaby

Sirenaria [6:30]

See above.

David Bedford

The Odyssey

The Sirens [10:00]

Virgin #2040
Reissued on CD in 1998
Try Amazon.co.uk*

Britten/Bliss/Holst: Gustav Holst

Holst Singers & Orchestra

Choral Hymns from the Rig Veda; Hymn to the Dawn [3:00]

Hyperion #66175 www.hyperion-records.co.uk

Bill Laswell

Filmtracks 2000

Siren Song [3:30]

Tzadik #7511 www.tzadik.com

Johnny Reinhardt & American Festival of Microtonal Music

The Odyssey

Ilium To Ismaros / Lotus Eater Island [3:30]
Sirens to Scylla and Charybdis [4:30]

www.afmm.org or download from emusic.com

Bill Laswell

Filmstracks 2000

The Odyssey [2:00]

See above.

Comments

  • [1] ChelseaBoy from New York March 19, 2009 - 12:09AM

    Loved the show. Some great examples of the sorts of evocative feelings capable of being unleashed through music.

    However, I have to think that the “Sirens to Scylla and Charybdis” section from Johnny Reinhardt & American Festival of Microtonal Music was a rather direct, if clunky, rip of the “Creature from the Id” theme (and a few other sections) of the wonderful “Forbidden Planet” soundtrack by Louis and Bebe Barron. Would love to hear something from those pioneers on a themed show like this.


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