HERA, goddess of marriage, introduces a happy wedding march, with colorful pipes, chiming bells, throbbing drums, and shining bugles. Not even her violent pianistic outburst against husband Zeus’ infidelities can effect the majestic pomp of the occasion. With an abrupt change of pace, a clip-clop of horse’s hooves and a chattering of trumpets, ARTEMIS leads away the members of the hunt. As the riders disappear over the horizon, the seductive flute introduces APHRODITE. On the solo piano, the goddess of love awakens from languid desire and rises in glorious ecstasy. Fluttering woodwinds and sweeping brass summon up images of the bounteous kingdom of DEMETER, goddess of fertility. When the sun sets, the tired travelers settle onto the floor of HESTIA’s hearth and hear the piano re-emerge with a simple melody. As the tune fragments, we enter HECATE’s underworld, where the drums are wild, the pipes ominous, and the piano full of fire. In attempting to pacify this atmosphere, the soft winds must fail once, but then lead the listener to the exuberant fanfares and joyful virtuosity of that energetic warrioress, ATHENE.
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Caroline Oltmanns (piano), before a performance of Greek Goddesses in Middletown, New York | ||
