Concert Note:
"The Five Poems of Melissanthi, in the English translation of Diana Maynard, comprise a complete vocal cycle of five poems set to music as a posthumous tribute by the composer to the Athenian poet Melissanthi (1910-1991), in the manner of the old tombeaux of the Baroque era, a tradition also used by many composers of the first half of the 20th century.
This composer confirms, with reference to his own experience of Melissanthi´s poetry "these five from among her many poems have made a such a great impact on my composing that I felt the need to dedicate these musical pages to her".
The evocative poetic expressions of Melissanthi, whose real name was Eve Chougia-Skandalaki, and the mysterious atmospheres invoked by David Solomons´ music introduce the listener to an ethereal and metaphysical dimension, allowing us a glimpse into the unknown and the intangible.
Both the performance and the enjoyment of the Five Poems therefore require particular emotional involvement, in an overall picture where every single note is a tiny but essential constituent of a larger and more complex musical architecture. The harmonic structure of the five compositions presents a substantial homogenity of formulation even within the various rhythmical solutions selected, with their repeated returns to themes and chords. This creates an indissoluble unity, such that it would spoil the completeness of the whole cycle of compositions if it were broken." Alessandro Balsimini Translation by David W. Solomons