New orchestral work: Osiris

[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]

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.

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]

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.

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

[lunar22]

actually the bit I really noticed was not loud at all but a fairly quiet string passage around 4'20" where the artefacts are most noticeable. Otherwise, it seems largely OK in fact.

[relm1]

actually the bit I really noticed was not loud at all but a fairly quiet string passage around 4'20" where the artefacts are most noticeable. Otherwise, it seems largely OK in fact.

Thanks, I don't hear distortion other than low fidelity but it should be good enough.  There might be some slight phasing because violin 1 and 2 are playing the same line. 

[lunar22]

doesn't particularly sound like typical phasing but could be, I guess. Anyway, no matter -- it's a trivial matter!

[relm1]

I've reached the completion of my forty minute orchestral suite based on Egyptian mythology.   Having become obsessed with this topic in the past months, and initially finding the content overwhelming, I have come to understand part of the challenge is the material is complex, rich, vibrant and multi-faceted, in part because it spans thousands of years. 

In ancient Egyptian mythology, the creation myth of "The Ennead" weaves together a complex tapestry of creation, divinity, destiny, and cosmic balance.  The sprawling narratives is deep and very complex spanning from 6,000 to 3,500 years ago, are among the earliest preserved stories, influencing millennia of subsequent cultures and myths such as those of the Mesopotamians, Romans, Greeks, and even Hebrews.

I.   City of the Sun (10')
The world begins with the primordial waters of chaos, known as Nun. From these waters emerges the first god, Atum (or Ra), who creates the mighty sun himself emerging atop the primordial mound.  His children are gods known as "The Ennead" who reside in the celestial city of the sun, each representing different aspects of the universe such as life, death, birth, etc.

II.   Sun God (8')
Ra embodied the power of the life-giving sun, envisioned as the great god riding across the heavens throughout the day and descending into the underworld as darkness falls.

III.   Osiris (15')
The poignant story of the doomed love between King Osiris and Queen Isis highlights themes of passionate love, betrayal, savage murder, resurrection, and ultimate justice.  Osiris, betrayed and murdered by his jealous brother, Set (or Seth), is resurrected by Isis for a final day for them to be together and consummate their eternal love.  This leads to the birth of their only son, Horus who will ultimately avenge his father's murder while establishing Osiris as the ruler of the underworld.  I absolutely loved this story.  Rather than musically setting the entire story (it's way grander than my summary), I chose to set the final day Osiris and Isis spend together in their doomed love before he descends to the underworld forever. 

IV.   Apophis, Bringer of Chaos and Destruction (7'30")
Embodying chaos and destruction, also plays a central role.  It is Ra who maintains balance and order against the chaos of Apophis, illustrating the concept of balance where opposite powers are interconnected.

Excerpt from the second movement, "Sun God".
https://clyp.it/bgldrrof

The full third movement, Osiris.
https://clyp.it/jmsu31qg

Excerpt of fourth movement, Apophis, Bringer of Chaos and Destruction.
https://clyp.it/01fwzehe

[Symphonic Addict]

I enjoyed what I heard. Very epic-sounding in general. Perhaps my only quibble is that the music lacks a more distinctive 'Egyptian' element (not sure if it has to do with some kind of scale or something like that, I'm not a musician, just trying to figure out) that makes it more authentically Egyptian. And you like good climaxes, don't you? 

[relm1]

I enjoyed what I heard. Very epic-sounding in general. Perhaps my only quibble is that the music lacks a more distinctive 'Egyptian' element (not sure if it has to do with some kind of scale or something like that, I'm not a musician, just trying to figure out) that makes it more authentically Egyptian. And you like good climaxes, don't you? 

Thanks for listening.  Well, I do love a good climax where warranted.  These are epic stories about very big, rich, and complex myths so they warranted a good climax.  There are Ancient Egyptian harmonies but it's a bit complicated.  In my drawing of the Osiris movement plan above, I have some notes indicating all the material in it is using two Arabian and ancient scales: Locrian # 6 (C, Db, Eb, F, Gb, A, Bb) and Double Harmonic Scale: C, D, Eb, F, G, Ab, B.  All the notes of the Locrian # 6 are heard at the start and end of Osiris in a dense chord but otherwise make the melodic material.  In these two Arabian scales, there are also western harmonies like Bb min, Eb min 7, F major flat 6, etc.  So, the whole work uses ancient scales to give it a sense of austerity and timelessness but sometimes uses contemporary western harmonies contained in those scales too.  The last movement is entirely in the scale. 

[Symphonic Addict]

Thanks for listening.  Well, I do love a good climax where warranted.  These are epic stories about very big, rich, and complex myths so they warranted a good climax.  There are Ancient Egyptian harmonies but it's a bit complicated.  In my drawing of the Osiris movement, I have some notes indicating all the material in it is using two Arabian and ancient scales: Locrian # 6 (C, Db Eb, F, Gb, A, Bb) and Double Harmonic Scale: C, D, Eb, F, G, Ab, B.  In these two Arabian scales, are also modern harmonies like Bb min, Eb min 7, Fmajor flat 6, etc.  So the whole work uses ancient scales but sometimes uses contemporary harmonies contained in those scales too.  The last movement is entirely in the scale. 

Thanks for explaining, and congratulations on your new work!

[lunar22]

although the language is sometimes a bit over the top for my taste, I can fully understand the need for the big effect here and I've never found your orchestral works anything other than than impressively written. Looking forward to the finished cycle.