Uploaded May 2022 | Updated September 2026, 2 weeks ago
Track 1, "Hymn to Persephone (Ancient Greek Goddess of the Spring)", from my new album, "Orpheus Tamed the Animals - Mythological Music for Ancient Greek Lyre" - out on all the usual major digital music platforms from 1st June, the album can be pre-ordered on Apple Music, iTunes & Amazon from today!
This album features more new compositions for a wide selection of recreated ancient Greek lyres, inspired by the wonderfully diverse patchwork of classical mythology.
The pieces utilize a wide selection of the original ancient Greek musical modes, whose distinctive expressive characteristics, long-forgotten in our monotonously standardized modern major/minor equal temperament tonality, are further enhanced by the use of just intonation throughout the entire body of the tracks.
Most of the lyres featured in this album, were recreated in modern Greece, by Luthieros:
luthieros.com
Persephone is the Goddess of the underworld, spring, and rebirth. She is one of the fertility goddesses.
After Hades abducts her, she became Queen of the underworld, helping to escort the souls of the dead. She only performed this role for four months of the year (due to the four pomegranate seeds she ate) the rest of the time she lived with her mother Demeter, goddess of agriculture and the harvest.
Her exit from the underworld heralds the beginning of Spring as she helps her mother to bring life and bounty back to the land. This dual role makes her a Goddess of death and rebirth.
She is the only daughter of Zeus and Demeter. Her marriage to Hades bore no children.
Usually shown as a beautiful maiden with a wreath of flowers in her hair, carrying sheaves of wheat and a torch.
The Maiden Archetype represents purity and the innocence of childhood. where the soul’s dreams, magic and make believe still prevail.
Persephone's life embodies this Archetype, she remains eternally on the cusp between childhood and motherhood. Trapped by a mother's love and her inability to fully assert her independence.
[Source: goddess-guide.com/persephone.html]
In attempting to evoke these attributes of Persephone, I use the distinctively dreamy, sensual and feminine-sounding ancient Greek Lydian Mode - the conjunction of 2 tetrachords which form the equivalent intervals as F-F on the white notes of the piano, but heard here, in the pure focus of just intonation.
For me, this mode always evokes an almost tangible, floral aroma, which relates back to the legend of how Hades abducted Persephone whilst she was picking spring Narcissus flowers.
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Official Artist Links:
Official Website:
ancientlyre.com
Digital Music Artist Profiles:
Spotify: open.spotify.com/artist/7Dx2vFEg8DmOJ5YCRm4A5v
iTunes & Apple Music:
itunes.apple.com/us/artist/michael-levy/id4324920
Amazon:
amzn.to/2zmJph3
Bandcamp:
michaellevy.bandcamp.com
Facebook Page:
facebook.com/beautifullyre
Twitter:
twitter.com/AncientLyre
Instagram:
instagram.com/mlevy1400bce
Patreon:
patreon.com/Michael_Levy_Ancient_Lyre_Music
Track 1, "Hymn to Persephone (Ancient Greek Goddess of the Spring)", from my new album, "Orpheus Tamed the Animals - Mythological Music for Ancient Greek Lyre" - out on all the usual major digital music platforms from 1st June, the album can be pre-ordered on Apple Music, iTunes & Amazon from today!
This album features more new compositions for a wide selection of recreated ancient Greek lyres, inspired by the wonderfully diverse patchwork of classical mythology.
The pieces utilize a wide selection of the original ancient Greek musical modes, whose distinctive expressive characteristics, long-forgotten in our monotonously standardized modern major/minor equal temperament tonality, are further enhanced by the use of just intonation throughout the entire body of the tracks.
Most of the lyres featured in this album, were recreated in modern Greece, by Luthieros:
luthieros.com
Persephone is the Goddess of the underworld, spring, and rebirth. She is one of the fertility goddesses.
After Hades abducts her, she became Queen of the underworld, helping to escort the souls of the dead. She only performed this role for four months of the year (due to the four pomegranate seeds she ate) the rest of the time she lived with her mother Demeter, goddess of agriculture and the harvest.
Her exit from the underworld heralds the beginning of Spring as she helps her mother to bring life and bounty back to the land. This dual role makes her a Goddess of death and rebirth.
She is the only daughter of Zeus and Demeter. Her marriage to Hades bore no children.
Usually shown as a beautiful maiden with a wreath of flowers in her hair, carrying sheaves of wheat and a torch.
The Maiden Archetype represents purity and the innocence of childhood. where the soul’s dreams, magic and make believe still prevail.
Persephone's life embodies this Archetype, she remains eternally on the cusp between childhood and motherhood. Trapped by a mother's love and her inability to fully assert her independence.
[Source: goddess-guide.com/persephone.html]
In attempting to evoke these attributes of Persephone, I use the distinctively dreamy, sensual and feminine-sounding ancient Greek Lydian Mode - the conjunction of 2 tetrachords which form the equivalent intervals as F-F on the white notes of the piano, but heard here, in the pure focus of just intonation.
For me, this mode always evokes an almost tangible, floral aroma, which relates back to the legend of how Hades abducted Persephone whilst she was picking spring Narcissus flowers.
Subscribe:
youtube.com/subscription_center?add_user=Klezfiddle1
Official Artist Links:
Official Website:
ancientlyre.com
Digital Music Artist Profiles:
Spotify: open.spotify.com/artist/7Dx2vFEg8DmOJ5YCRm4A5v
iTunes & Apple Music:
itunes.apple.com/us/artist/michael-levy/id4324920
Amazon:
amzn.to/2zmJph3
Bandcamp:
michaellevy.bandcamp.com
Facebook Page:
facebook.com/beautifullyre
Twitter:
twitter.com/AncientLyre
Instagram:
instagram.com/mlevy1400bce
Patreon:
patreon.com/Michael_Levy_Ancient_Lyre_Music
