Until the completion of Seville Cathedral in the early C16, Hagia Sophia was the world's largest church. Built by the Emperor Justinian in the sixth century AD, it was the centre of Orthodox worship for the Byzantine, eastern Roman Empire until it fell to the Ottoman Empire in the 1400s.
Like Troparion, Byzantion I - Hagia Sophia is based upon Greek Orthodox chant: this time, a Prokeimenon from a C12 manuscript from Patmos. Like Rievaulx - which features Gregorian chant at the beginning of the piece - it is also a piece about an iconic church building which testifies to the past, even though its function differs today. Its two principal sources of inspiration are the Icons of Sound virtual acoustic joint project between Stanford University and the choir Cappella Romana; and W.B. Yeats' poem Sailing to Byzantium (from The Tower [1928]).
The videos below present the full piece performed by a double-reed piano trio, and an excerpt by a saxophone piano trio.
Like Troparion, Byzantion I - Hagia Sophia is based upon Greek Orthodox chant: this time, a Prokeimenon from a C12 manuscript from Patmos. Like Rievaulx - which features Gregorian chant at the beginning of the piece - it is also a piece about an iconic church building which testifies to the past, even though its function differs today. Its two principal sources of inspiration are the Icons of Sound virtual acoustic joint project between Stanford University and the choir Cappella Romana; and W.B. Yeats' poem Sailing to Byzantium (from The Tower [1928]).
The videos below present the full piece performed by a double-reed piano trio, and an excerpt by a saxophone piano trio.
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Byzantion I -
Hagia Sophia (2022) Cor anglais*, Bassoon** & Piano OR Tenor & Bari Saxes & Piano Duration 5'20" To purchase the PDF score, please send a message via the Contact Page PRICE: £16.95 (approx. US$21.90) "As in the gold mosaic of a wall..." |
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ALTERNATIVE INSTRUMENTATION:
*Basset Horn or Bass Clarinet/Viola
**Bass Clarinet/Cello
Mixing & matching single & double reeds/strings permitted, subject to key
*Basset Horn or Bass Clarinet/Viola
**Bass Clarinet/Cello
Mixing & matching single & double reeds/strings permitted, subject to key
Performance History
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World Premiere
51st IDRS Conference Thursday 28 July 2022 - University of Colorado Boulder with Kathleen Carter Bell, English Horn; Conor Bell, Bassoon; Stephen Innis, Piano Second Performance Saturday 18 February 2023 - Faculty Recital, Performing Arts Centre, Tennessee State University, Nashville, Tennessee, USA Kathleen Carter Bell, English Horn; Conor Bell, Bassoon; & Tiantian Liang, Piano Third Performance Saturday 1 April 2023 - Honors Recital, The Recital Hall, Voxman Music Building, The University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA, USA Amelia Johnson, English Horn; Sara Remoy, Bassoon; Mariya Akhadjanova, Piano Watch on YouTube British Premiere
Thursday 29 June 2023 Trinity Laban Black Culture 365 Composer Feature Concert #2 St. Alfege Church, Greenwich, London SE10 Jessica Berry, Tenor Sax; Louis Suc, Baritone Sax; Leo Nicholson, Piano |
Further Performances
Sunday 24 September 2023 Sara Fruehe, Bassoon & members of the Off-Broadway Trio (EH & Piano) Schwob School of Music, Columbus State University, Georgia, USA LIVESTREAM Tuesday 23 July 2024 - 53rd IDRS Conference Kitt Recital Hall, Northern Arizona University, Flagstaff, AZ, USA Kathleen Carter Bell, English Horn; Conor Bell, Bassoon & Tiantian Liang, Piano Monday 03 March 2025
The Tailleferre Ensemble's International Women's Day Recital Nottingham Trent University, University Hall, 48 Shakespeare St, NG1 4FQ, UK Saturday 15 March 2025 Kathleen Carter Bell, Cor anglais; Conor Bell, Bassoon & Collaborator SHE: Festival of Women in Music, The University of Arkansas, USA Thursday 03 April 2025 Tailleferre Piano Trio Music on Thursdays Lunchtime Concert, Leatherhead Methodist Church, Leatherhead, Surrey, UK |
