Telergy - Hypatia

Telergy Hypatia cover
Telergy
Hypatia
Independent Release
2015
8.5
Hypatia was one of the most important AD Greek philosophers, mathematicians and astronomers of the old world. She lived around 350 – 415 AD in Alexandria and she was the daughter of the philosopher & mathematician Theon Alexandricus. Hypatia was a woman (and that was her first mistake) who stood against men of that era and spoke about science and the philosophy of the ancient times. She was one of the most important Neoplatonists as well. Unfortunately, she had some very powerful rivals, of the new religion (Christianity), who blamed her for her ethics, her knowledge and for not believing in the new religion. The whole thing led to a small riot where a mad, angry and barbaric Christian mob attacked and brutally killed her by cutting off pieces of her body! Unluckily, her writings were all burned in an attempt to erase everything about Hypatia and her works. Not much has been left; things are known mostly from other philosophers’ notifications about Hypatia. The barbarians have once again achieved their goal… not 100% but that’s why Hypatia is hardly known to most people, who don’t deal with the philosophy of the old world.
 
The composer, producer and multi-instrumentalist Robert McClung decided to honor the story of Hypatia with his music with his project’s third studio work. Undeniably, this was a very ambitious thing to do but Robert delivered the goods indeed. In truth to be told, he did deliver a magnificent album full of emotions and music theme alterations.
 
There are participations from numerous well-known musicians and actors such as: Durga McBroom-Hudson (Pink Floyd, Blue Pearl), Scott Page (Pink Floyd, Toto, Supertramp), Oliver Wakeman (Yes), David Ragsdale (Kansas), Parker Lundgren (Queensryche), Anna Phoebe (Jethro Tull, Trans-Siberian Orchestra), Chris Caffery (Savatage, Trans-Siberian Orchestra), Angus Clark (Kitaro, Trans-Siberian Orchestra), Bryan Hicks (Trans-Siberian Orchestra), Corey Glover (Living Colour), Mike LePond (Symphony X, Silent Assasins), Oliver Holzwarth (Rhapsody of Fire, Blind Guardian), Oliver Palotai (Kamelot), Blake Carpenter (The Minstrel’s Ghost, Corvus Stone), Mattan Klein (world renown jazz flutist) & Mac Ritchey (Esthema) among others!
 
The album features 9 scenes, where we hear dialogues and talks of the story’s protagonists so as to get a better idea about each musical theme that’s right after each scene. The whole thing is fairly theatrical and very well-made on the whole. The 8 music themes all add to each part of the story (“Astronomer”, “Philosopher”, “Mathematician”, “Teacher”, “The Burning of the Library of Alexandria”, “Scapegoat”, “Murder” & “Martyr”), with the specific gravity of each situation. Sometimes emotional, others more intensive, some others a bit more complex and so on.
 
Robert has put a lot of work on this album and in every detail in order to musically “dress” those incidents which made Hypatia a well-trained and proficient philosopher, mathematician & astronomer till her sudden & tragic death. The album lasts around 63 minutes and can be “experienced” in full, with all the spoken parts (scenes), and keeps the listener’s interest at high levels till the very end. Instrumental albums are hard to digest due to their “strange” nature but then again there are instrumental albums like this one which can satisfy even the most demanding listener.
 
Various kinds of music are all blended together so as to have such a brilliant final outcome. The actual term of the word “progressive” can describe the musical nature of this album… still it’s way better to experience it yourself and let the sea of emotions which it exhales take you over. “Hypatia” is an exceptional instrumental emotional progressive album which will enthrall the fans of instrumental music…