Christos Hatzis
 CONSTANTINOPLE

A compact disc of Hatzis' multimedia music theatre work
CONSTANTINOPLE
ANALEKTA  AN 2 9925

Artistic Credits:
Patricia O' Callaghan, soprano
Maryem Tollar, alto (Arabic vocalist)
The Gryphon Trio
(Annalee Patipatanakoon, violin; Roman Borys, cello; Jamie Parker, piano).

Prerecorded audio credits:
Christos Hatzis – sound design
Boris Despot – sound design assistant
Ernest Cholakis – Numerical Sound, drones
Lambros Vassiliou – vocal performance of "Death of Dighenis" in "On Death and Dying"
English Chamber Choir, Guy Protheroe conductor – performance of
"Christos voskrese" in "Alleluia" (recording used with permission).
 
Recording credits:
Mario Labbé, Roman Borys – Executive producers
Roberto Occhipinti – producer
Anthony Crea – recording engineer
Jeff Wolpert – post-production engineer, editor
Peter J. Moore – mastering
Lionel Arnould – cover art

 


 

CONSTANTINOPLE is the recipient of the 2008 JUNO AWARD in the
CLASSICAL COMPOSITION OF THE YEAR
category. A great Thank You and Congratulations to
The Gryphon Trio for their two Juno nominations this year
and for making this recording project possible,
to producer Roberto Occhipinti
and to ANALEKTA Records for releasing it.

 


CONSTANTINOPLE nominated for two JUNO AWARDS:

CLASSICAL COMPOSITION OF THE YEAR
and
CLASSICAL ALBUM OF THE YEAR: VOCAL OR CHORAL PERFORMANCE

Congratulations to Christos Hatzis' colleagues:
Brian Current, Jeffrey Ryan, R. Murray Schafer, and the late Oscar Morawetz
for their nominations in the Classical Composition of the Year category

and to
Gerald Finely, Les Voix Baroques BUXTEHUDE, Measha Brueggergorsman,
and the Alderburgh Connection for their nominations
in the Classical Album of the Year: Vocal or Choral Performance.

and finally a great Thank You and Congratulations to
The Gryphon Trio for their two Juno nominations this year.

 


Analekta is proud to present the Gryphon Trio in this debut recording of the music from the stunning multimedia theatre event Constantinople by composer Christos Hatzis. A salutary allegory for our own troubled times, Constantinople weaves together threads from East-West, sacred-secular, past-present, real-mythical, high art-popular culture and much more. Commissioned by the Gryphon Trio, the genre-challenging music of Constantinople is like a mosaic in which Hatzis juxtaposes bright colours of urban gospel with mediaeval chant, a 19th century Sufi song with bluegrass, Cretan folksong with viol-like writing, and even a piece of solemn parlour music with the raunchiest of tangos. The Calgary Herald called the work “a bold and richly emotional tapestry of sound and image that clearly represents a stunning triumph in the marriage of music with digital technology … Toronto composer Christos Hatzis’ score is an artful and frequently arresting blend of western classical, liturgical and Middle Eastern tradition with infusions from more contemporary styles, such as jazz and pop. It is performed flawlessly and miraculously by the Gryphon Trio.”

Constantinople was premiered in July 2004 at the Banff Festival of the Arts, produced by the Gryphon Trio in partnership with The Banff Centre, Music Toronto and Tapestry New Opera Works with additional production assistance from Ex Machina. Following a sold-out run in Toronto and the US premiere at the International Festival of Arts and Ideas in 2005, the work will be seen at the Montreal Highlights Festival at Théâtre Outremont on February 28, March 2 & 3. Later in the month, Constantinople makes its European premiere at London’s Royal Opera House, then returns to Toronto’s Luminato Festival in June.

Constantinople’s musical elements comprise piano trio with two singers, from both Eastern and Western traditions, supplemented with both processed sound and pre-recorded audio. From the opening movement, “Creeds,” which combines a Greek Orthodox Easter chant, Arabic poetry and a Balkan dance, to the meditative “Kyrie”; and from “On Death and Dying,” featuring a Byzantine poem set as a haunting folksong combined with synthesised snatches from the Verdi Requiem, to joyous final “Alleluia,” Constantinople’s eight movements are each a ritual point of departure on an imagined journey towards spiritual convergence between East and West. (from the Analekta press release for Constantinople)


Visit the Analekta Constantinople Web Site. Read the Analekta Press Release about the CD.
Visit www.analekta.com/pochettes.html and click on AN 2 9925 to download CD cover.

 

REVIEWS & COMMENTS:

  The compact disc release of Christos Hatzis’ multi-media theatrical masterpiece Constantinople was a long time coming, but perseverance has paid off in spades… The overarching theme is death and resurrection. However, Hatzis’ music and his mind transcend conventional barriers. Elements of urban gospel, parlour music and tango with plainchant are interlaced with traditional western and eastern tones….Hatzis is a well-known advocate of borderless music – if this is the direction of spiritual music in the 21st century, I say, bring it on! Heidi McKenzie, THE WHOLE NOTE magazine (Canada) March 2007
 

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