Amor Aeternus

Amor Aeternus - Hymns of Love is a musical work by Nicholas Lens. It is the third part of the operatic trilogy The Accacha Chronicles.
The work follows on the parts Flamma Flamma and Terra Terra.
In 19 sections, the score combines orchestra, chorus and six operatic voices that contrast with the eerie tonalities of two female "nasal-natural" singers .

Usage

Excerpts of the tracks Amor Amore, Amor Aeternus I, Utrum Vulva and Amor Mundum of "Amor Aeternus" were used as soundtrack of the symbolical film
'love is the only master I’ll serve'

directed by Nicholas Lens and produced by Tabaran Company. The film premiered at the BIFF, New York in June, 2006.

Notes

*"Amor Aeternus" was recorded mostly in Bulgaria and Belgium, but as well in Morocco and South Africa.
*It was the fourth album on which Lens worked with the American soprano Claron McFadden.
*According to the critics with this work Lens is slowly leaving the path of tonality of his earlier work. Some regret that he changed his style to a more severe and complex approach, others find this interesting and believe Lens' style is more evolving towards operatic, contemporary-theatrical creations.
*The live-version, published by Schott Music (Mainz, New York) did not premiere yet.

Credits

Third part of the operatic trilogy by Nicholas Lens The Accacha Chronicles
Music & Libretto, Concept, Artistic Producer: Nicholas Lens
Published by Schott Music International Mainz/ New York, (2005)
Released (2005) by Sony BMG International 74321 697182

Introduction

(according to the booklet)

"Love,"
"mum of creation,"
"you generate love,"
"no way can your force be cured by herbs."

The god Flammarius/Aquarius makes love. He makes love to his wife the goddess Maramnan.
His divine retinue, the dragonflies Lecka & Pecka and the epicenes Ismail, Stoycé and Luna-Serena are watching closely, with their mouths half open, holding their breath.
Also Cypher watches, but not really showing himself.
Luna-Serena is clearly the most excited. She wets her lips, and rubs her legs against each other with lazy moves.
Stoycé stares with his eyebrows high above their usual place.
Ismaïl has this boyish smile and seems far away.
Lecka & Pecka look at each other almost every five seconds, their eyes are wide open, while The Whisper Kid sleeps in a corner.

Maramnan lays down on her side. The goddess is half naked, nevertheless she looks queenly and doesn't lose one bit -even in this position- of her royal dignity and grandeur. Flammarius/Aquarius makes majestic love to her with gentle kingly moves from behind. From time to time he removes locks from his face, hairlocks from his long white beard and curled hair.

Flammarius/Aquarius watches his privileged divine audience while he's doing what he's doing and says: "As we all know, we, the gods, couldn't care less about time. However, to kill some time, I was thinking of having some entertainment."
His listeners, this heavenly ragtag crew of gods, spontaneously nod in agreement. The Fire- and Watergod is perspiring as a result of his own physical excitement. Maybe his sweat, negligently dropping in the Galaxy, will cause a couple of new Milky Ways. "I was wondering," Flammarius/Aquarius says, "why do mortals behave so bizarrely and strangely when they have to deal with feelings of love?" He turns his back to his audience and continues to make love to Maramnan. "Mmnn, yes, okay, that's fine," murmur the listening gods all together, "but what about the promised entertainment?"
Flammarius/Aquarius calms down and whispers confidentially: "Imagine that we're a bunch of ordinary people going through this love spell on a human level, and fantasize about it. Put yourself in their shoes and feel free to use and to imitate all possible sensations and feelings that humans experience daily: intense love, joy, deep sadness, self-pity, jealousy, fear etc... In other words: Letís have some fun!"
Almost everyone thinks it's a great idea.
Only the naughty Stoycé suppresses a yawn, again. But isn't he secretly happy as a sandboy as long as something happens?
The dragonflies Lecka & Pecka argue about the latest fashion on Earth and what to wear.

Cypher feels quite comfortable with all this love stuff and dresses himself in a three-piece dark fancy suit. He walks in front of a mirror while he watches himself closely, to examine his cool.
The lovely Luna-Serena dreams of getting back into the emotions of a female human being like she did in Flamma Flamma and Terra Terra. Not surprisingly a quick decision is made.
The princely Ismail looks really dismayed! This time it was really his turn to play a girl! Later on the boyish epicene is only too pleased to remain an androgyne, what he is and always will be.
The Whisper Kid sits in front of Lecka & Pecka, drawing a not very flattering portrait of the dragonflies.
The graceful Maramnan -who still cherishes the gods as if they were her own children- resolves to join them in this challenging but innocent pastime.And Flammarius/Aquarius?
Once again Aquarius is amused to see how his suggestion gains a lot of support and giggles quietly. A little drop of his love-sweat escapes from the royal spot between his legs and rivers down on the fast approaching Earth. Flammarius/Aquarius doesn't realize that the drop from his restrained joy provokes a world love flood the likes of which mortals have never seen before.
Definitely, beyond all doubt, this must be Amor Aeternus, Hymns of Love.

Track listing

1. Amor Amore
2. Iuppiter Olympum
3. Mors Neutra
4. Amor Mundum
5. Aliosne
6. Utrum Vulva
7. Nam Sum I
8. Corpore Toto
9. Nomen Meum
10. Ma Matutinum
11. Amor Aeternus I
12. Timore Amore
13. O Basiorum
14. An Amorem I
15. An Amorem Ii
16. Amor Omnibus
17. O Amabilis Amor
18. Nam Sum Ii
19. Amor Aeternus Ii

References and External links

* Official website [http://www.nicholaslens.com/ Nicholas Lens' Website]
* Time magazine [http://www.time.com/time/international/1995/951009/sightings.html]
* Schott Music International [http://www.schott-music.com/autoren/KomponistenAZ/show,3527.html]
* Internet Movie Data Base [http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0502203/]
* Biff, New York [http://www.wbff.org/films/detail.asp?fid=607]
* Compact Discoveries [http://www.compactdiscoveries.com/CompactDiscoveriesArticles/Flamma.html]
* Sonymusic [http://www.sonymusic.com/artists/NicholasLens/flamma1.htm] * Sony BMG [http://sonybmg.de/artists2.php?iA=4&artist=187779]