| Empire of Death Released March 2000
“I was asked to compose this music for the BBC documentary, ‘Empire of Death’. This intriguing project looked at archaeological discoveries made in the 1930s in a region of the Sudan called Nubia. They found pyramids and the remains of a mighty black African empire, with kings who once rivalled the pharaohs of Egypt.
They also discovered evidence of a bizarre death culture. Enormous tombs were found where the king’s body would have been placed, and where the entire royal court would have been buried alive. I began my compositions by taking inspiration from modes used in North African Arabic music; this was an enormous influence. I then aimed to create pieces to reflect the mood of the documentary which was primarily dark and mysterious. The resulting music is quite subtle and haunting.” The musicians who played on the recordings are: Sally Doherty: voice, flute, keyboards, programming
Hear this release
One Voice I (2'05"; 1.9MB) Mourning I (excerpt; 1'00"; 956k)
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