This is the battle scene of ‘To the Walls of Troy’, a string trio by Rhett Clark. Copyright 2021, All Rights Reserved.
Performed by Amorsima. Violin – Mia Detwiler. Viola – Michael Capone. Violoncello – Kourtney Newton. https://amorsima.com Recording and video by Stephan Arce-Penedo.
Special thanks to: Father Randall Foster, Dr. Will Waldroup, Haley Woodrow, Dr. Richard Dumbrill of the University of London, Michael Levy, Dr. Armand D’Angour of the University of Oxford, Kristine Fish, Amber Gutermuth, David Campbell, Dr. Jerry Ringe, Dr. Cliff Evans, Becky Rathbun, Craig Leffer, Stephan Arce-Penedo, and to Amorsima (especially to Kourtney, my cello professor). You all have helped create this piece, either through historical research, composition and musical support, or simply driving me to love, learn, and create string music. Thank you!
Program Notes:
This string trio is dedicated to the memory of my best friend, Matt Embrey. He studied the history of antiquity from the Bronze Age through the Roman Empire. He and our college roommates used to watch documentaries and movies about the past such as Alexander, Gladiator, and our favorite movie of all – Troy. Troy is based on the epic poem The Iliad, which is attributed to Homer of ancient Greece. Matt loved The Iliad and The Odyssey so much that we jokingly called him Achilles. He loved discussing ancient Greece and what it must have been like to be there, and we considered traveling to see the ancient cities of Sparta, Athens, and Troy. Unfortunately, Matt never got to go see those places. Therefore, I invite you to join me on a musical journey to Troy.
The Iliad tells legend of the Trojan War, in which the ancient Greeks used the Trojan Horse to invade the city-state of Troy. It is one of the oldest stories ever told; it is thought to be written between 750-650 BC and it cites heroic deeds and battles from 500 years before that. This story may be partially based in fact – a city of ruins in modern-day Turkey was found in the 19th century that many scholars believe to be the ancient site of Troy. To the Walls of Troy takes you on a journey to the ancient world, from Greece to the Turkish coast. You will become a traveler sailing to Troy ahead of the Greek army, and will observe the city before it fell – like the first men to tell this tale.
In the introduction of this music, a lonely melody remembers desolate ruins, and beckons you to recall a city and a people that are gone. It asks you to remember the people, their culture, and what they have taught us. Imagine yourself as a traveler or merchant in the era of Mycenaean Greece in 1200 BC, in an ancient Bronze-Age Greek city-state such as Sparta or Mycenae. Try to imagine the architecture and clothing you would see, and smell the wine served to you at banquet. Then, let the melody of a distant time and place intoxicate you; listen to lyres playing an exotic tune as people dance. Afterwards, as the tempo increases, you find yourself sailing across the Aegean Sea, pushed by strong winds under bright skies. You arrive at Troy and slowly trek to the huge, impenetrable walls looming before you as you imagine the riches beyond the gates. You will hear another melody on lyres as you join the Trojans for a banquet and revelry. But things do not stay calm for long. At the climax of the music, exotic violin melodies recall the chaos of battle as the Greeks land on the beach and attempt to invade the city. For a while, the Trojans triumph and celebrate their initial victories and the protection afforded by their walls. But eventually the cunning Odysseus devises the Trojan Horse – the Greeks sneak into the city at night, and Troy falls and burns. A familiar, lonely melody returns to remind you that the once great city is now empty, yet you are reminded of its beauty and splendor – and the men who fought valiantly over it. Remember Hector, Odysseus, and especially Achilles – the greatest warrior that ever was.
It is difficult to know exactly what music in Greece or Anatolia would have sounded like 3,200 years ago. However, we can try to imagine and recreate this very early music. Troy could have had ties to (and music similar to) Greek cultures, or it could have been an outpost of the Hittite Empire. If the latter is true, Trojans could possibly have known Eastern music, using scales with large leaps and microtones (these are common in the music of Turkey). You would likely hear Turkish modes in Istanbul on your way to Troy if you visited the ruins today. Therefore, To the Walls of Troy blends Greek modes, Turkish makam (Turkish scales with microtones), the Byzantine scale, as well as modern Western musical techniques to capture the awe of antiquity. This music will take you on a trip over thousands of miles – and thousands of years. I hope this adventure would make Matt proud.
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Good stuff