piercedearmusic

Suite for the Panagia (Songs for the Theotokos)” is a multi-movement work. The suite is a merging of very uniquely different musical traditions. The musical traditions explored are Soul, R and B, Contemporary Gospel and Eastern Orthodox Chant music. Each song is based on Hymns that occur within specific parts of the liturgical services and particular homiletic sayings given by saints within the Roman Catholic and Eastern Orthodox Christian traditions. The form of each movement is composed in modern Ritornello form.The first song “More Spacious than all the Heavens” is based on the hymn from the Anaphora (‘lifting up’) of the Liturgy of St Basil the Great and the Icon entitled “Panagia Platytera”. This Icon is also referred to as “Our Lady of the Sign”.Song two “You Gave Milk to Our Bread is based on a quote from given by St. Augustine of Hippo. This quote is often referred during the service on the Solemnity of the Annunciation of the Lord. The introductory chant before the song starts is a Megalynarion hymn for the Annunciation of the Virgin Mary.Song three is a blend of an Orthodox hymn and repetitive recited prayer in the “Angelic Salutation” and “Steadfast Protectress”. This song unlike the first two uses ternary form with an extended coda.The fourth song is entitled “Theotokophalia (The Theotokos and Me)". Starting as an instrumental piece the vocals come in for the finale which modulates its key three times. The finale is another musical set to the Theotokos Hymn which modulates in ascending fashion. The final phrase of the fourth movement features the high voice accompanied by the piano.