Olga Neuwirth - Marsyas (2006) (with score)

Olga Neuwirth's piano solo takes as its departure point Messiaen's "Theme of God" from his Vingt Regards sur l'Enfant-Jésus. Marsyas is a figure from Greek mythology. As the master of Aulos, he was the opponent of Apollo, who played the lyra. When the latter ordered that singers had to accompany themselves, Marsyas’ fate was sealed. Neuwirth not only uses Marsyas as a synonym for aspects isolated from the culture of our times – the passionate, impetuous and emotional aspects of art – but also structures her work in accordance with the huge Marsyas sculpture by the Indian artist Anish Kapoor.

Piano: Christopher Park