Zephyrus offer the glorious harmony and sinuous counterpoint of six sweetly toned bagpipes underpinned by driving percussion. Formed by Jon Swayne in 1998 to perform his piece The Halfe Hannikin Variations, Zephyrus brings together some of the best players of modern English bagpipes. The polyphonic style of writing developed by Jon is quite unique and exploits to the full the amazingly rich sonority offered by six pipes.
The Halfe Hannikin Variations is a suite of music inspired by the tune of the same name in John Playford's 1651 edition of The English Dancing Master, while the English Suite uses English dance and song forms as the basis for new and beautiful themes. Both pieces are available on CDs released in 2007. Zephyrus also have in their repertoire two striking pieces by their percussionist, composer Terry Mann.
Zephyrus have performed at festivals, arts centres & concerts, in venues ranging from the Royal Scottish Academy of Music & Drama, Sheffield's Crucible Theatre and Liverpool's Anglican Cathedral to churches and even a castle, and have been successful in obtaining funding support from the Arts Council of England.
many thanks for the add. I hope you will enjoy Naïal's experimentations. I invite you to listen to "voies contigues", a polyphonic work for four bagpipes. It may interest you...
Proud to become your friend. I've already said to Jon that your two albums are absolutely fabulous, full of ideas and innovative way in polyphonic work with bagpipes. I will be glad to see you and listen to you in Saint-Chartier.
fabulous, mesmerising music that still leaves me speechless and shaking after all these years. An effect only equalled by my first viewing of The Wall by Pink Floyd. Well done.
