Five Ages by Greg Danner is titled after the Greek myth concerning the five ages of man.The Golden Age was an age where people were most like the Gods. Free from pain and old age, they enjoyed the fruits of the earth in plenty.The men of the Silver Age were not like the gods, and stayed child-like for a hundred years. They were contemptuous of the gods and punished for their irreverence.Next Zeus created the men of the Bronze Age out of ash spears. These men were mighty, tall, and ferocious-a violent race of warriors who worked in metal and produced a few rudiments of civilization. In the end, these men destroyed themselves with their warfare.The next period was the Heroic Age, a time of notable heroes and deeds. Heracles and Jason, Theseus, and the great men of the Trojan War existed then. As a tribute to them, Zeus established the Elysian Fields as a resting place for their spirits after death.Still not discouraged, Zeus created the men of the Iron Age, the present age of man. Hard work, trouble, pain, and weariness characterize this age. In the end, so the myth says, the gods will abandon this age, leaving man to fend for himself.This composition for solo timpani is a musical portrayal of the spirit of the Five Ages. Extensive use of non-traditional effects are employed to develop a unique sonic environment that distinguishes each movement.
