New orchestral work: Osiris

Started by relm1, March 18, 2024, 04:50:44 PM

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relm1

The tale of Osiris and Isis is among the most enduring, expansive, and passionate narratives in Egyptian mythology. Its origins date from 3,100 to 2,500 BCE but probably predates that significantly. 

Osiris, a benevolent eternal deity of knowledge, wisdom, agriculture (food, prosperity, and well being), and eventually the afterlife, resurrection, was a ruler of the living world. His jealous brother, Set, envied Osiris's power and adoration from mortals, so in a cruel act of treachery, Set murdered and dismembered Osiris, scattering his remains across Egypt. Queen Isis, Osiris's devastated and devoted wife and goddess herself, searched endlessly for her beloved Osiris's remains.

Through great ordeals, struggled searches, and with her magical powers, she managed to find and rebuild Osiris's body and resurrect him but only for one final day before he would be doomed to leave the land of the living behind forever.  In their passionate final day together, it was long enough to consummate their only son, Horus, who would eventually avenge his slain father in an epic battle against the evil Set.

The enduring love between Isis and Osiris, and the miraculous birth of Horus, resulted in the triumph over death that is central themes of this myth, embodying the cycles of life, the power of love, hunger for vengeance from an injustice, and the promise of rebirth in the afterlife. 

My music here isn't on the Osiris myth in its entirety but on the tragic single day Isis managed to return her eternal love to life just once before they knew they would be forever departed through an act of great injustice and cruelty.  This is amongst the most tragic and epic works of antiquity, predating the Roman and Greek myths as well as "The Epic of Gilgamesh" by centuries if not millennia.  This story originated at the dawn of written languages. 

15 minutes
https://clyp.it/jmsu31qg


relm1

This is my "Golden Brick" plan for the movement.  Basically, outlining the material, themes, harmonies, drama, structure, etc., before writing the music. 

lunar22

well I know you like a big beefy orchestral sound and dramatic effects but this struck me as being an unusually atmospheric and powerful tone poem so congratulations are really in order. It never lost a grip right from the opening brooding ostinato.

Just one question -- is the audio sample rate rather low as I got the impression I heard compression distortion artefacts once or twice. If not it must be something else then.

relm1

Quote from: lunar22 on March 23, 2024, 08:27:34 AMwell I know you like a big beefy orchestral sound and dramatic effects but this struck me as being an unusually atmospheric and powerful tone poem so congratulations are really in order. It never lost a grip right from the opening brooding ostinato.

Just one question -- is the audio sample rate rather low as I got the impression I heard compression distortion artefacts once or twice. If not it must be something else then.

Much thanks!  The original audio is 44 khz 24 bit but I had to compress it to upload it as it exceeded the size limit.  I think this version is 256 bit MP3. 

lunar22

well 256 kb/s should be enough for a decent rendering so perhaps it's something else I heard. I'll go through it through the hi-fi rather than just headphones when I get the chance.

relm1

Quote from: lunar22 on March 26, 2024, 05:33:18 AMwell 256 kb/s should be enough for a decent rendering so perhaps it's something else I heard. I'll go through it through the hi-fi rather than just headphones when I get the chance.

Might have just gotten too loud too, such as noteperformer clipping.  Let me know where it happens if you find it again.