Musica Lyra, by Michael Levy

Musica Lyra

by Michael Levy

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maximusofparis Stunning ! The combination of the ancient greek lyre and the Stoic theme is absolutely breathtaking. A magnificent contribution to the Renaissance of this ancient music and wisdom. The notes that come with the purchase of the album really ties everything together. Can't wait for the next release ! Favorite track: Pluviam Frigus (Cold Rain).

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1.	Desideria (Desires) 03:18	info	buy track
2.	Pluviam Frigus (Cold Rain) 03:00	info	buy track
3.	Umbra Mortis (Shadow of Death) 03:18	info	buy track
4.	Lamentatio (Lamentation) 02:45	info	buy track
5.	Luctus (Grief) 04:25	info	buy track
6.	Lacrimae (Tears) 04:06	info	buy track
7.	Adfectatio (Striving) 02:39	info	buy track
8.	Patientia (Endurance) 03:44	info	buy track
9.	Meditatio (Meditation) 03:20	info	buy track
10.	Amor Fati (Love of Fate) 02:51	info	buy track

about

The sequel to my 2013 album, "The Ancient Roman Lyre", this historically inspired project of original compositions for recreated ancient lyre, ("Musica Lyra" translates from Latin as "Lyre Music") features sketches of specific emotions and feelings, expressed through the mostly forgotten, distinctive expressive qualities of the ancient musical modes, enhanced in the pristine focus of just intonation.

Both my earlier release "The Ancient Roman Lyre" and this one, feature the same glassy purity of tone, conjured up by my 10-string lyre, hand-made in the USA by Marini Made Harps.

By pure serendipity, this amazing sounding instrument looks almost identical to a Roman lyre depicted in a 3rd century mosaic found in from Tarsus, Antioch, of Orpheus taming the beasts with his lyre (as featured on the album cover).

The theme of the album, is a musical exploration of Stoic meditation - the pieces in "Musica Lyra" expresses emotions of sorrow, grief, inner turmoil and regret, which through philosophical stoic meditation, we ultimately can learn to live with, once we accept and live with the stoic ideal of "Amor Fati" - the love of fate, and to feel inner harmony, no matter what any pantheon of ancient gods might have in store for us, through the enigma of our conscious existence through the journey of life.

Stoicism, although having its origins in ancient Greece, was also embraced by the philosophers of Classical Rome. Indeed, the emperor Marcus Aurelius, was himself a renowned stoic philosopher and writer on the subject:

“Accept the things to which fate binds you and love the people with whom fate brings you together, but do so with all your heart.”

- Marcus Aurelius

The stoic theme of the album is similar to my 2023 ancient Greek release, "Ataraxia (Inner Harmony)", which was inspired by ancient Greek sceptical philosophy. This album sought to express through music, the difficult ancient Greek ideal of achieving 'Ataraxia' - striving to feel complete contentment & freedom from distress, only to be found when we realize the brute philosophical fact, that the only thing we can ever know for certain, is uncertainty.

credits

released May 5, 2023

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about

Michael Levy UK

Michael Levy is a composer for the recreated lyres of antiquity,

Michael has collaborated with the Rufus Wainwright - Rufus Orchestrated Michael's "Hymn to Zeus" in 2 scenes of his second opera, "Hadrian".

In 2022 - 2023, Michael collaborated with the iconic American artist, Jeff Koons – his music for ancient Greek kithara was the soundscape of Koon’s sculpture, “Apollo Kithara”. ... more

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