2021 | commissioned by between feathers ensemble | supported by SKE Fonds

for flutes & accordion

The concept of love has been explored since ancient times. The ancient Greeks described love
using different words: ἀγάπη agápē, “compassionate, unconditional love”; ἔρως érōs, “intimate,
passionate love”; φιλία philía, “brotherly love”; στοργή storgē, “family love”; φιλαυτία, philautía,
“self-love”... and more. Among the 305 poems dating from 11th to 7th centuries BC, which are
collected in the oldest existing collection of Chinese poetry, <詩經>, many of them speak of love
and courtship, express the longing for an absent lover, a dear comrade, or a long-lost friend.
And love songs have been a deep part of our musical traditions until today, according to the
Economist, 40% of Western pop song lyrics are specifically about “romantic love, sexual
relationships”.
I see that as human beings, we have the ancient, ongoing, everlasting, timeless yearning for
love. Therefore as a composer, I am feeling intrigued to express and explore this using the
language of contemporary music.