Apollo Slew the Python

from Ancient Greek Magic by Michael Levy

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In ancient Greek mythology, a huge serpent that was killed by the god Apollo at Delphi either because it would not let him find his oracle, being accustomed itself to giving oracles, or because it had persecuted Apollo’s mother, Leto, during her pregnancy.
In the earliest account, the Homeric Hymn to Apollo, the serpent is nameless and female, but later it is male, as in Euripides’ Iphigenia Among the Taurians, and named Python (found first in the account of the 4th-century-BC historian Ephorus; Pytho was the old name for Delphi).

Python was traditionally the child of Gaea (Earth) who had an oracle at Delphi before Apollo came. The Pythian Games held at Delphi were supposed to have been instituted by Apollo to celebrate his victory over Python.
[Source: www.britannica.com/topic/Python-Greek-mythology]

In this piece, I attempt to evoke the wrath of Apollo, by the use of the ancient Greek Dorian Mode and dramatic 'block and strum technique' towards the end of the piece, when Apollo claims his victory over the monstrous sperpent. Indeed, according to Plato, in "The Republic", he argued that the Dorian Mode was the only musical mode of true moral virtue - being the most 'manly' of all the ancient Greek musical modes, as it was said to inspire bravery in battle!

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from Ancient Greek Magic, released June 6, 2022

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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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