Описание
For solo violincello and orchestra. Score video available at https://youtu.be/36nk6aBlMBI
This three-movement concerto is dedicated to Áine (Awn-ya), the powerful Irish goddess of sovereignty, fertility, and the moon, whose sacred hill, Cnoc Áine, overlooks the mysterious Lough Gur in County Limerick. The work draws upon the complex layers of her mythology, moving from political justice to deep magical sorrow, and culminating in a wild, supernatural emergence.
Movement I. The King's Mark (Moderato)
This movement establishes Áine's primal power as the Sovereignty Goddess, the very embodiment of the land and its laws. The music is driven by the central myth where the local king, Ailill Aulomm, attempts to violate her. Áine fights back, inflicting a mark that disqualifies him from ever ruling, thereby enforcing the ancient law of the land.
The gravity of this act is recorded in the Dindshenchas (Lore of Places):
Ailill came to Áine, overpowered her and lay upon her; he had knowledge of her then, not by consent but by force.
Áine took her knife to Ailill, no lying testimony mine! She sliced off his right ear from the head bent over her, so that afterwards he was called Ailill Bare-ear.
Movement II. Lament in the Black Depths (Grave)
The music shifts to the shores and hidden depths of Lough Gur. This is the lunar heart of the concerto, reflecting Áine’s role as a mysterious guide and healer. Legend states that the sick were brought to the lake on the Full Moon, where Áine would offer comfort. This dark movement is a lament—a reflection of the profound sorrow and hidden magic held in the deep water, which is governed by the eternal, elemental forces of nature:
I arise today... Through the strength of heaven: Radiance of moon, Splendour of fire, Speed of lightning, Depth of sea, Stability of earth, Firmness of rock.
Movement III. The Wizard Earl's Ride (Allegro con moto)
The finale explodes with energy and virtuosity. This movement draws on the local folklore that links Áine to the Wizard Earl who sleeps in an enchanted, sunken castle beneath Lough Gur. Every seven years, he and his host of the Sídhe are said to ride out of the lake with a spectacular, unbridled, and sudden magic.
They shall go to the great gathering,
With swiftness of feet,
Without trace of delay,
By the aid of the white horse.
Performance note:
Where possible, use pickup or close microphone on the solo cello and provide mild distortion for Movement I only. This distortion can be removed for Movements II and III.