Olympias was written for the Brighton Festival Massed Choir in celebration of the Olympic Games that were held in Britain in 2012. The opening section contains the beginning lines of Pindar’s First Olympic ode in the original classical Greek, and is followed by its translation into English. An effort has been made to incorporate some of the elements of musical style and form and the sound know to us through extant music as well as the knowledge of the instruments of Ancient Greece without trying to reproduce it; and yet by not knowing the laws of classical Greek composition I may yet have fallen into disrepute with Plato:

“Through foolishness they deceived themselves into thinking that there was no right or wrong way in music, that it was to be judged good or bad by the pleasure it gave.”

 

(Translation from the original Greek and Romanization by the composer.)

 

Water is best, then gold like a blazing fire in the night:

Shines out far above all earthly wealth

But if my heart you wish to sing of contests

Look no further for any star warmer than the sun,

Shining by day through the desolate air

And let us not proclaim any games greater than Olympia.