Classical Mythology, 7th Edition - obinfonet: dia logou

730 THE SURVIVAL OF CLASSICAL MYTHOLOGY
Paul McCartney has given us a Venus and Mars Rock Show; William Russo,
Antigone, a rock musical, and The Bacchae, a rock cantata. Of some interest is Orpheus
and Eurydice, a rock opera in Russian by Alexander Zhurbin (who now
lives in the United States), which has won a measure of renown and notoriety.
A work by the rock group Manowar, Achilles, Agony and Ecstasy in Eight Parts,
deals with episodes from the Iliad, including the death of Patroclus and the mutilation
of Hector's corpse by Achilles.
Other works on mythological themes are "Atlantis" by Donovan Leitch,
"Calypso" by Suzanne Vega, "Athena" by Peter Townshend, and "The Minotaur"
by Dick Hyman and his Electric Eclectics. The second of the seven parts
of Scott Cossu's Wind Song is entitled "Demeter/Rejoicing."
Odysseus and the Odyssey in particular have inspired more lengthy and ambitious
works. Examples include "Tales of Brave Ulysses" by Cream; David Bedford's
The Odyssey, an entire album that musically presents major episodes in
the story; and Bob Freedman's The Journeys of Odysseus, a jazz suite for chamber
orchestra. Sections are entitled "Prologue (Dawn)," "Sea Voyage," "The Eaters
of the Lotos," "Polyphemus," "Erebos (Conversation with the Shades)," "Construction
of the Raft," "The Song of the Sirens," "The Besting of the Suitors,"
and "Epilogue (Offering to the Gods)." The composer observes: "At the beginning
of each section you will hear a brief spoken quotation from Homer. It is
meant to set the tone for the episode. What each individual will experience or
'hear into' the music depends totally on his own imagination and sensitivity." 26
Particularly appealing in its melodies and imaginative in its lyrics is Ulysses, the
Greek Suite by Michael Rapp. Songs illuminate the theme of Ulysses' trials and
his homecoming: the Lotus Eaters, Polyphemus, Circe, Hades, the Sirens, and
Scylla and Charybdis; and Penelope is given some lovely, introspective songs
expressing her fears and her hopes. In the category of more traditional popular
music are songs associated with particular singers that have become perennial
favorites, for example, "Stupid Cupid," sung by Connie Francis; "Venus," by
Frankie Avalon; "Venus in Blue Jeans," by Jimmy Clayton; and "Cupid," by Sam
Cooke. From the many songs about love, we add "Cupid's Boogie," "Cupid's
Ramble" (for voice and piano), and "Cupid and I," from the operetta The Serenade
by Victor Herbert.
From the musical Leave It to Jane (1917), by Jerome Kern (words by P. G.
Wodehouse), come two songs, "The Siren's Song" and "Cleopatterer"; the latter
was sung by June Allyson in the movie Till the Clouds Roll By.
A composition by Chip Davis, Impressions of Greek Mythology, has the following
sections:
• "Rhodes," inspired by the myth that on the island of Rhodes Helios "took
the sun up every morning with his winged horse chariot," has sections
entitled "Twilight;" "Night Festival" (using authentic ancient instruments,
including a cithara made by the composer from a depiction on a sixth cen-