The Betrayal of Technologies

The symphonic poem The Betrayal of Technologies is embedded in the narrative tradition of the nineteenth century and the twentieth century symphonic poems as perceived by the author. It recalls the lessons for humanity as represented by the nuclear power-plant disasters and their repercussion on mankind. "The idea," explains the author, "comes from the disasters at Chernobyl and Fukushima and from the real-life account of the wife of a Ukrainian firefighter who was dispatched as emergency first response force to the Chernobyl accident site. The poem consists of two movements: Prologue – Allegro and Elegy – Largo. The two movements can be performed with or without pause between them. The score also contains some technical challenges employed in an attempt to master new orchestral styles. Some of the orchestral parts contain remarks which are intended to create a tridimensional orchestral texture. “What accounts for my choice of subject was my desire to honour mothers from many European countries, who may have experienced a loss of child during pregnancy or given birth to children with genetic disorders caused by radiation. My family has experienced both situations. The music follows images that existed in my imagination and inspired me for its composition. The first movement features analogies with specific situations and scenes: the uranium mines; the fanfare at the construction of the nuclear complex, the onset of the explosion; the outbreak of chaos and fires; the collapsing structures, the coming of the firefighters and the struggle with the elements. The second movement – Elegy – conveys the emotional experience of the events, reveals my personal feelings."