Ek-stasis: Dionysus, Nymphs and Satyrs
Experience the captivating journey of Ek-stasis, presented by Divine Art Recordings.
Delve into the world of myths reconstructed in music by celebrated composers from different cultures and times. This unique album features three world premiere recordings, bringing fresh and exciting music to the programme. Greek pianist and professor Zoe Samsarelou has expertly curated a selection of works that weave together an interconnected narrative, taking you on a journey through the myth of Dionysus. From the works of Couperin, Rameau, Dandrieu, and Daquin to the eminent Greek composers of the 20th and 21st centuries and the Late Romantics in between, each piece is thoughtfully selected and presented.
The album is divided into themes of seduction, pathos, illusion, metamorphosis, transcendence, instinct, catharsis, mythos, paradox, and transition. This creates an immersive experience that guides the listener through the various stages of the myth and offers a musical perspective on the story. Accompanied by Zoe Samsarelou’s insightful prose on the collection and notes on the Greek composers featured in the program, Ek-stasis is more than just a listening
experience. It’s a celebration of the Greek spirit that has influenced humanity for over 2,500 years, highlighting the creativity and ingenuity of these wonderful composers.
Track Listing
- 2ème Livre, 6ème Suite – La sirène (1:51)
- Les Naïades et le Faune Indiscret (8:03)
- Satyr und Naïaden (6:39)
- 2ème Livre, 6ème Suite – La bacante (1:37)
- La plainte, au loin, du faune (4:59)
- Mediterranean Desert Suite - From Tethys to the Mediterranean (5:03)
- Pièces de Clavecin, 23ème Ordre - Les Satyres (3:44)
- Prélude à l’après-midi d’un faune (10:33)
- Prelude of a Lost Dream (1:36)
- Pièces de Clavecin, 4ème Ordre - Les Bacchanales – No. 1 Enjouements bachiques (2:03)
- The enchanted nymph (5:58)
- Echo, AK 77
- Pièces de Clavecin, 4ème Ordre - Les Bacchanales - No. 2 Tendresses bachiques (4:01)
- Pièces de Clavecin, 4ème Ordre - Les Bacchanales – No. 3 Fureurs bachiques (2:58)
- Mirages, Op. 70 – No.1 Et Pan, au fond des bles lunaires, s’accouda
- Huit clos - Erinyes (1:42)
- Procession to Acheron, AK 79c (4:13)
- Pièces de clavecin, 3ème Livre: No. 8 Les cyclopes (3:31)
- Bacchus – Le bapteme par le vin (1:39)
- Trois Morceaux, Op. 24 – No. 2 Valse grotesque (Satyre) (3:48)
- Ein Satyrspiel 3:24)
- Première Suite - La ronde bachique (3:10)
- Six epigraphies antiques - No. 1 Pour invoquer Pan, dieu du vent d’été (2:30)
- Six epigraphies antiques - No.4 Pour la danseuse aux crotales (2:36)
- Dionysus and the pirates, the voyage from Ikaria to Naxos (3:59)
- Pictures from Greece, Op. 13 - I. The Dryads (1:54)
- Pictures from Greece, Op. 13 - II. The Fates (2:49)
- Pictures from Greece, Op. 13 - III. The Muses (1:55)
- Pictures from Greece, Op. 13 - IV. Mercury (1:15)
- Pictures from Greece, Op. 13 - V. The Graces (1:42)
- Pictures from Greece, Op. 13 - VI. The Naiads (2:54)
- I. Etude (Najaden im Quell) (3:15)
- II. Idylle (Pan mit der Syrinx) (4:13)
- III. Rêverie (Träumende Oreade) (4:50)
- IV. Intermezzo grotesque (Pan philosophiert) (2:37)
- V. Valse lente (Dryaden reigen im Mondschein) (4:34)
- VI. Elegie (Napaie in tiefer Betrübnis) (2:26)
- VII. Humoresque (Pan von Bacchus kommend) (1:46)
- VIII. Canzonetta (Liebeständelei) (1:32)
- X. Scherzo (Nymphe fiehl! Schnell! Satyr hascht dich) (1:31)
- Row Rocks - Krokeatis Lithos-Lakonia (5:09)
François Dandrieu (1682 - 1738):
Déodat de Séverac (1834 - 1897):
Dimitri Terzakis (b. 1938):
François Dandrieu (1682 - 1738):
Paul Dukas (1865 - 1935):
Giorgos Koumendakis (b. 1959):
François Couperin (1668 - 1733):
Claude Debussy (1862-1918) arr. Leonard Borwick:
Lina Tonia (b. 1985):
François Couperin (1668 - 1733):
Mischa Levitzki (1898 - 1941):
Nikos Skalkottas (1904 - 1949):
François Couperin (1668 - 1733):
Florent Schmitt (1870 - 1958):
Nestor Taylor (b. 1963):
Nikos Skalkottas (1904 - 1949):
Jean Philippe Rameau (1683 - 1764):
Jules Massenet (1842 - 1912) arr. Alice Pelliot:
Sergei Bortkiewicz (1877 - 1952):
Dimitri Terzakis (b. 1938):
Louis-Claude Daquin (1694 - 1772)>
Claude Debussy (1862-1918):
Dimitris Marangopoulos (b. 1949)>
Harry Farjeon (1878 - 1948):
Paul Juón (1872 - 1940)>
Satyre und Nymphen – 9 Miniaturen für klavier, Op. 18
Aspasia Nasopoulou (b. 1972)>
Reviews
“This fascinating recital explores a wide range of music set against the background of Classical mythology. Zoe Samsarelou plays enthusiastically, and reveals considerable depth of interpretation and technical expertise. The recording is clear and bright. It is a recital to savour slowly.
” —John France
“A recording of immense scope and abundant musical richness. Samsarelou’s assured command of the material is readily apparent. She deserves credit also for fashioning a set-list whose range reflects scholarship and imagination in equal measure.
” —Ron Schepper
“Throughout her epic recital, Samsarelou is the capable and informed exponent of music that often gains from being heard in this narrative context. Of course, it is entirely feasible to enjoy each of the pieces on its own terms – yet however one chooses to approach it, an enlightening experience is there for the taking.
” —Richard Whitehouse
