Background Notes

This piece of music dramatises the Biblical tale of the execution of John the Baptist.
Herodias leaves her husband Philip to marry his brother, King Herod. However there is a complication; Herodias is an Essene and therefore may not re-marry so long as both the husband and wife are living. John the Baptist is at this point in time the head of the Essene faith and publicly renounces Herod’s bigamous marriage to Herodias. Herod therefore needs to silence John the Baptist and does so by having him arrested and imprisoned.
Salome, the daughter of Herodias and Phillip, is well known for her beauty and by her ability to dance.
This composition begins at the banquet celebrating the birthday of King Herod, where Salome dances for the invited guests, including King Herod and her mother, Herodias.

This composition is divided into three movements, each depicting a key event.

Compositional Notes

1st movement: “The Dance of Salome”
The scene is set in a large hall that is dimly lit by torches. The hall has a very high ceiling supported by many huge fluted marble pillars. King Herod, Herodias and the guests sit around the sides and back of the hall facing a large clear area where the dance is to take place. Rising up at the front of the hall are large and wide stone steps that lead up to a high balcony. It is from here that Salome and her troupe will make their dramatic entrance.
Salome and her dancers appear at the balcony and one step at a time to each beat of the music make their descent. They move in unison down one step and then all freeze in a pose for dramatic effect until the next beat of the music, where they will again move down another step and freeze and so on.
All of the dancers are young and beautiful, and are dressed in brightly coloured, sheer fabrics along with lots of glittery ornamentation and jewellery yet still revealing lots of bare skin.

Dynamic: Initially heavy.
Orchestration: Very dense. The bass instruments all play ‘on the beat’ to which Salome and her troupe move - between beats they freeze to take up a pose. The lead guitar plays very high and screaming in contrast to the slow heavy, stamping rhythm creating a greater sense of drama to what is an epic and grand entrance. When the troupe reach the centre of the dance area they take their starting positions to a huge climactic orchestral phrasing which ends the introduction of the 1st movement.

The troupe are all completely still as an arpeggio figure begins to sound. This is a moment of hush and great expectation. As the drums and bass enter, Salome and her troupe begin to dance, slow, sensuous and erotic.

Dynamic: Light and mysterious during the verses. In between the verses there is a heavy ‘bridge’ causing a sudden intensification which, is a ‘false climax’ that the dancers use to effect. This is indicative that Salome has her audience completely spellbound. She toys with their emotional state and intensity, raising their sense of tension and releasing them completely at will back down into the soft and hypnotic verse.
Orchestration: Thin but much thicker during the bridge softening again.

The music then changes key and the rhythm section sets out on a slow, determined sounding riff. At this point Salome intensifies her dance. The slow, mysterious and sensuous motions give way to something altogether very different. The dance now takes on a more purposeful and erotic nature as their movement becomes writhing, pulsating and blatantly sexual.

Dynamic: Heavier. More driving. More purposeful.
Orchestration: Thicker and with greater note densities.

The music and the dance intensify yet further and the drums double the tempo. The dance now moves into a more energetic state. The movement is now far more gymnastic and acrobatic. The dancers are spinning, tumbling and leaping in a display of tremendous technical prowess. The guests are breathless and awe-struck as the dance approaches its full climax which is followed by rapturous cheering as the music and dance reach their frenzied peak and finally come to an end.

Tempo: double time
Dynamic: Heavier with even greater note densities in flurries as the dancers tumble and leap with their gymnastic routines. This gradually intensifies as the movement progresses towards the climax of the dance.
Orchestration: Thickens as the movement progresses.

2nd movement: The Promise of Herod
Herod is so pleased with the dance that he tells Salome to approach him and asks in full view of the gathered guests. “Ask me for anything that you want, and I’ll give it to you.”
The music depicts this conversation where:
The low guitar is Herod.
The high guitar is Salome.
The conversation between them is played syllable for syllable by the guitars.

- 1st verse:
Herod: “Come to me girl.”
Salome: “Yes my Lord.”
Herod: “Come to me now girl.”
Salome: “Yes of course my Lord”
Herod: “Tell me what it is your heart desires.”
Salome: “You mean anything?”
Herod: “Yes.”
Salome: “You mean anything at all?”
Herod: “Yes of course.”
Salome: “You mean anything?”
Herod: “Yes.”
Salome: “You mean anything at all?”
Herod: “Yes of course.”
Salome: “This is the one thing my heart desires.”

Chorus <Salome>
“Bring me the head of the Baptist.”
“Bring me the head of the Baptist.” <more intensely>
“Bring me the head of the one they call John!”

- 2nd verse:
depicts Salome’s state of satisfaction and elation.

The closing moments of the 2nd movement are heavy and dark. This depicts the inner turmoil raging with Herod. Yes he promised her ‘anything’, but executing the head of a highly respected religious order is not what he expected. However the promise was made in public so he must go through with it – against his better judgement – or he’ll lose face.

2nd Chorus
This is essentially the same as the first but with the difference that the 2nd melody line rises. The intention here is that Salome’s initial request becomes a half crazed demand that is almost taunting because she knows Herod cannot back down.

What actually happened is that, Salome being young and inexperienced did not know what to ask for so she went to her mother for guidance. Herodias tells her daughter to ask for the head of the Baptist. In the 1st verse, Salome asks over and over “you mean anything?” which captures her indecision. Armed with her mothers request, Salome – during the chorus – is strong, decisive and demanding knowing that she’ll please her mother and Herod can’t refuse.

Dynamic: Very light and uncertain during the 1st verse. More intense and with a sense of ‘insistence’ during the chorus. The 2nd chorus is almost frantic as the melody line moves up to a higher register <maintaining the same melodic contour and meaning>.
Orchestration: Thin until the final moments depicting the inner turmoil of Herod.

3rd movement: The Beheading of the Baptist
King Herod is now in complete turmoil.
This movement switches between scenes of Herod’s mind in its inner panic as he’s being looked on by those gathered to witness the execution, and scenes of the guards hauling and dragging the Baptist through the castle to the place of his beheading.

Herod’s turmoil:
Tempo: quick
Dynamic: Heavy and intense. High note density in the solo representing the multitude of chaotic thoughts and emotions charging through Herod’s mind.
Orchestration: Thick and heavy.

The guards and the Baptist:
Tempo: ‘cut common time’ [half speed]
Dynamic: Heavy and determined riff depicting the relentless march of the guards dragging the Baptist behind them.
Orchestration: Thick and heavy.

These two sections are repeated in the same manner as a movie switching between scenes.

At the end of this section are four ‘power chords’. The first two are axe blows that do not cut right through. It is the third blow that finally removes the head. The last of the four depicts the falling head landing upon a silver platter – on which it is to be presented to Salome and Herodias.

The priests then chant and pray to their God for the soul of John the Baptist. They mourn the loss of their religious leader. <This bridging section has a similar quality to a Gregorian Chant>

The closing section is in the style of a ballad and depicts Herod in deep reflection. Herod, looking skyward, hands covering his face cries out “my God, what have I done!”
The final recapitulation of the chorus captures the shameful cries of Herod.
“I took the head of the Baptist!”

Herod then joins the priests in mourning and in prayer – but he prays for his own soul.