Australian Music Centre | Breaking sound barriers

Work Overview

The word himeros is an ancient Greek term meaning uncontrollable desire. It is also the name of the god who embodies this feeling. Much of my compositional work revolves around Greek myth and ritual, and in this piece, I seek to capture a sense of melancholy and yearning in relation to lust-a theme I have explored in works such as my opera Calypso, the song cycle Ballad of the Crying Satyr, and the double concerto for clarinet and harp, Peane from Hyacinth.

There is a certain beauty and sad irony in experiencing both deep passion and profound pain-feelings that often accompany love or desire, especially from afar. To me, there is something poignant about the distance one feels when attracted to someone: the sense of being both utterly alone and vibrantly alive, emboldened by longing yet rendered timid when acting upon it, and, at times, the quiet shame that follows when feelings are hurt. This piece attempts to capture that state of uncontrollable desire as it exists in the mind-before or without action.

Work Details

Year: 2016

Instrumentation: Flute, clarinet, trumpet in C, trombone, percussion, piano, strings

Duration: 10 min.

Difficulty: Advanced

Dedication note: dedicated to Georgia Royes

Commission note: Commissioned by Forest Collective.