This album attempt to literally conjure snapshots of ancient Greek mythology, through the exotic timbre of recreated Greek lyres and kithara!

The wide variety of lyres featured in the album, include soft, gentle timbre of the 'chelys' (tortoise shell form lyre; with skin soundboard & wooden resonator in the form of a tortoise shell),, a

This album attempt to literally conjure snapshots of ancient Greek mythology, through the exotic timbre of recreated Greek lyres and kithara!

The wide variety of lyres featured in the album, include soft, gentle timbre of the 'chelys' (tortoise shell form lyre; with skin soundboard & wooden resonator in the form of a tortoise shell),, a beautiful modern evocation of an ancient lyre, with a pure, harp-like timbre and finally, a magnificent recreation of the kithara of Classical antiquity; whose rich, deep timbre is perfect both as a solo instrument and to accompany the human voice.

Tracks 1, 2, 3, 4, 6, 7 & 8 feature my magnificently mythological-looking "Lyre of Thamyris"; a chelys (tortoise shell form lyre with large wooden resonator & skin sounboard); handmade in modern Greece, by Luthieros:

http://www.luthieros.com/product/the-thamyris-lyre-the-mortal-to-challenge-the-muses-ancient-greek-lyre-chelys-9-strings-top-quality-handcrafted-musical-instrument

Track 6, "Eos and Tithonus" & track 10, Hymn to Antheia", features a marvellous modern evocation of an ancient lyre; handmade by the USA-based family of harp makers, "Marini Made Harps":

https://www.marinimadeharps.com/davidic.htm

The wonderfully pure harp-like timbre of this lyre in this track, is further enhanced by the use of geometrically pure just intonation.

Ttrack 9 features the deep, resonant and distinctively evocative timbre of the Luthieros recreation of the Kithara of Classical Greece:

https://luthieros.com/product/cithara-of-the-golden-age-ancient-greek-cithara-9-strings-top-quality-handcrafted-musical-instrument/

In this track, I use the ancient Greek lyre playing technique of 'block and strum' - blocking specific strings with the left hand, whilst struming the required simple harmonies on the open strings with the plectrum of carved tortoise shell with my right hand; the perfect way to accompany any vocal line; as I attempt to demonstrate throughout this piece.