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Hymn to Persephone (Ancient Greek Goddess of the Spring)

from Orpheus Tamed the Animals - Mythological Music for Ancient Greek Lyre by Michael Levy

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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: www.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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from Orpheus Tamed the Animals - Mythological Music for Ancient Greek Lyre, track released June 1, 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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