Attis

The piece was composed at the request of violinist Eszter Perényi, my colleague at the Ferenc Liszt Academy of Music, and was several times amond the optional pieces of the yearly violin competition for students.

It was inspired by the famous 63rd poem of Catullus that tells the story of Attis: the hero of the Greek mythology arrives at the Mount Ida in Frygia, to the invitation of the goddess Cybele, and becomes her lover. The Gallas, certitude priests of Cybele chase him into delirious dance, by the end of which he castrates himself. On waking from his paralysed dream he entreats in vain for his virility and freedom to Cybele, he will remain servant of the goddess for eternity.

My work tells the story in four parts: 1) Attis' ecstasy 2) Dance of the Gallas 3) Attis' dream 4) Attis' entreaty. The Catullian galliambic metric that first appears in the 'prologue' of the piece, becomes the organisational principle of almost all musical aspects of it. (Hungaroton HCD 32484)