A Feast for Tantalus (2007)

The mythological story: Tantalus was the son of Zeus and was the king of Siphylos. He was exceptionally favored among mortals since he was invited to share the food of the gods. However, he abused the guest-host relationship and was punished by being "tantalized" with hunger and thirst in Tartarus: he was immersed up to his neck in water, but when he bent to drink, it all drained away; luscious fruit hung on trees above him, but when he reached for it the winds blew the branches beyond his reach.

There are differing stories about what Tantalus' crime was. A famous account says that he invited the gods to a feast and served them the dismembered body of his own son, Pelopas; when the gods discovered the deception, they punished Tantalus and restored Pelopas to life, replacing with ivory a part of the shoulder which had been eaten by Demeter.

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This is a work based on the myth of the above mentioned infamous dinner which Tantalus served to the Gods his own son Pelopas as part of the meal...his crime, the passion, the distorted love and all those things that made Greeks...you know...Greeks! Full of imagination, surprises, gruesome attitude, insanity but most of all fun.

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Elements of my own personal musical language are present which incorporate agitated rhythms, virtuosic writing for the guitars, passion for life and...death of course, memorable melodies, a small reminiscence of a style that a guitar audience will love...(Spanish guitar, counterpoint, and even an optional tambourine part). I proudly composed it for the Tantalus Guitar Quartet and I truly believe that always a feast after every performance will follow