Byzantium: Eastern Front was inspired by the great Alexios Komnenos, emperor of Byzantium during 1081 to 1095. During the first crusade, he fought and won several battles, marking his brilliant mind for strategy and tactics. The composer, Ash Madni, writes: “In my mind high above, I saw birds circling the plains outside Byzantium, whilst below, a great army amassed and waited for the great emperor to lead on his horse. Together with Alexios in front, the army charged the Mongolian army. Sonically, the brass oratory heralds the start of the charge followed by a carpet of ostinato strings, reflecting horses moving towards an epic battle.”
Ash Madni’s cinematic tone poem, Beneath Calm Waters, evokes the scene of a gigantic sea creature rising from the depths below to wreak havoc on an ill-fated cruise ship passing through its domain. Cello and double bass tremolos mimic the rise of the giganteum from a distance while imminent doom fills the passengers with horror. The slower middle section is ominous, suggesting the leviathan resubmerging beneath the waves. The piece ends dramatically, with the rhythmic motifs from the main theme returning followed by a brief chorale, then ending with a final burst of frantic energy, concluding the scene with an air of suspense.