Alexander - Epic Symphony

You can buy this song and my other songs here: Music composed by Farya Faraji. This is a symphonic piece I made about Alexander the Great, one of the most fascinating figures in world history, a man who has fascinated me since childhood and still does. I wanted to describe not only the broad strokes of Alexander’s life as a conqueror, but also to describe the man himself, the individual with hopes, fears and insecurities, a man with virtues and vices, genius and mental instabilities; someone who could be a great king to some and a tyrant to others, which is why I didn’t call this Alexander the Great--only Alexander. 00:00 Overture 01:26 Youth 4:40 To Asia 09:10 Son of Ra 15:46 Gaugamela 22:14 King of Asia 28:46 India 34:00 The Return 35:10 Death 39:00 To Eternity Overture, Youth and To Asia: At the heart of the symphony lies a simple melody on a pan flute that begins the story. To me, the essence of Alexander’s character is found in that simple, vulnerable pan flute, not in the screams of large orchestras. I believe that all his life, Alexander was just a boy on the inside, a boy who desperately wanted to flee from the shadow of his mother and of his home; always searching for a home, for rest, but never finding it. The first three movements use Ancient Greek instruments and recreate the sounds Alexander himself would have heard. The lyres and the diaulos are played gently at first, then more violently during “To Asia,“ showing the textural range of these ancient instruments. Son of Ra: This section pays homage to the 50’s and 60’s sound of sword and sandal epics in the style of Miklos Rosza’s soundtracks. I wanted to express Alexander’s hubris and megalomaniacal tendencies with this section, and I believe the 50’s style of sword and sandal films reflect ideas of self-grandeur, as well as fitting the theme of Ancient Egypt, since it was musically represented with this style many times. The chanting in this section is in the Ancient Egyptian language Dwa er Nethrw Nebet Tchau Nets Henwt Wa’at Sindj ’N Ist Ba N S Djet F Ba N S Djet F Senedj ’N Ist Henwt Amenit Tawi em sboy Senedj ’N Ist Herert em minti Eraat Ra Hsout - Amen Amen mintu O people and gods who are in the highest It is she, the only lady Stand in awe of Isis! It is she who gives birth to the daylight Stand In awe of Isis! The lady of the west (the underworld) And [The lady of] the two lands together Stand In awe of Isis! For she is the great eye of Ra in all of the regions India: Classical Indian music instrumentation. The chanting is in Sanskrit, and is the first strophe of the Shiva Tandava Stotra, a Hindu hymn to Shiva. Shiva Tandava Stotra Jatatavigalajjala pravahapavitasthale Galeavalambya lambitam bhujangatungamalikam Damad damad damaddama ninadavadamarvayam Chakara chandtandavam tanotu nah shivah shivam With his neck consecrated by the flow of water that flows from his hair, And on his neck a snake, which is hung like a garland, And the Damaru drum that emits the sound “Damat Damat Damat Damat”, Lord Shiva did the auspicious dance of Tandava. May he give prosperity to all of us.