250px-Santa_KassiaSylvia Glickman’s “Antigone Speaks” is melodically based on the 8th century hymn “On Leaving the Wealth of Her Family” composed by Kassia, the earliest known female composer who’s works are still known and performed. This hymn was written for an early Christian martyr, also a woman, with text translating as follows:

“Leaving the wealth of her family and longing sincerely for Christ,
the martyr found heavenly glory and riches,
and totally shielded with the armor of faith,
and the weapon of the Cross, trampled the oppressor;
therefore the angels, amazed at her struggles, said:
“The enemy has fallen, defeated by a woman;
the martyr, crowned, was lifted upward
and Christ reigns as God to all eternity,
who gives to the world his great mercy.”
Translation – Antonia Tripolitis
Glickman’s piece, Antigone Speaks, seems to draw on a certain unity of vision between four women – Glickman herself who struggled against the odds to pave a path toward her own career at a time when women were discouraged from having a career, as well as standing up for under-represented female composers; Antigone, who stood up for her brother’s right to a proper burial, Kassia, who’s strength of personality allowed her to develop a career in music, poetry and science as a nun in the eighth century Byzantine Empire, and the martyr who’s life is represented by the hymn itself. It is easy to see the reason Glickman chose the references to these women in her composition.
The piece itself contains brief spoken parts, taken alternately from the hymn above and from the words spoken by Antigone in the Sophocles play.
Stories about Kassia and her quick wit, as well as sharp witted poetry by Kassia, survive to this day, including rebuffing Emperor Theophilos interest in her as a possible partner in marriage, as pictured here:250px-Emperor_Theophilos_chooses_his_wife
Perhaps I’ll have a chance to share some of her poetry at some point – or perhaps you’re inspired to do a bit of a google search – this woman is really worth getting to know!