| Description |
Inspired by the true story of the ancient greek statue - 'DANCING SATYR' (in Mazara del Vallo) - discovered by fishermen off the coast of Sicily in 1998 after having lain on the Mediterranean ocean floor for over 2,000 years. Following five years of careful refurbishment in Rome's 'Istituto Centrale per il Restauro' this amazing bronze statue, probably from the school of Praxiteles, was restored almost to its former glory with its head and torso remaining largely intact, incredibly! The 'Dancing Satyr' was then taken on a global tour, including Japan and the Louvre in Paris, where it drew very large crowds capturing the world's imagination. It is now housed in a purpose-built museum in Sicily - 'Museo del Satiro'.
The first movement - INTRODUZIONE - begins in a neo-Italian Baroque style , with ancient undertones, in homage to the statue's current home where it has received great care and attention. The music then proceeds in a more modern and programmatic vein conjuring the disastrous sinking of the ship carrying this masterpiece in ancient times and its loss to the inky depths below.
The second movement - DANZA - is much lighter in mood celebrating its recovery and conveying the joyous expression of the 'Dancing Satyr' with its arched back and head thrown back in ecstatic abandonment, brilliantly portrayed by its original sculptor. Here the musical language is more influenced by the rhythms of Greek folk music while incorporating modern guitar idioms and harmonic concepts as in the first movement. |