Entombed
by Rhiannon Randle
'Entombed' is a passionate song for soprano and theorbo, setting extracts of Sophocles in the original Greek. Beginning with a theorbo prelude, and using modal tonality, it conjures Antigone's defiance in the face of her unjust, dishonourable death.
Entombed was the major commission for the Theorbo Today project, funded by Arts Council England.
Rhiannon Randle is a busy and successful young composer, who has written chamber operas, sacred music and chamber works. She is published by Boosey & Hawkes and Stainer & Bell.
Entombed
Ancient Greek (Sophocles) poetic translation (R.Jebb)
ὦ τύμβος, ὦ νυμφεῖον, ὦ tomb, bridal chamber,
Κατασκαφὴς deep-dug [prison]
ὦ κατασκαφὴς οἴκησις ἀείφρουρος, deep-dug eternal prison
οἷ πορεύομαι πρὸς τοὺς ἐμαυτῆς, where I go to find my own…
ποίαν παρεξελθοῦσα what law of the gods
δαιμόνων δίκην; have I transgressed?
ὦ κατασκαφὴς οἴκησις ἀείφρουρος, deep-dug eternal prison,
οἷ πορεύομαι πρὸς τοὺς ἐμαυτῆς, where I go to find my own…
ὦ κατασκαφὴς deep-dug [prison]
τίν᾽ αὐδᾶν ξυμμάχων; what ally should I call
ἐπεί γε δὴ τὴν out to when by my
δυσσέβειαν εὐσεβοῦσ᾽, reverence I have earned
ἐκτησάμην. a name for irreverence?
τί χρή με τὴν δύστηνον ἐς why should I look to the
θεοὺς ἔτι βλέπειν; gods any more?