Medulio Mountain

Simón García writes: “Medulio Mountain is the name of a legendary battle which is believed to have happened in 22BC between the Romans and the united army of Iberican Celtic tribes.

According to the Roman historian Floro on the battle:…”Finally the siege of Mount Medullio took place, on which, after having surrounded it with a continuous moat of fifteen miles, the Romans advanced at once, when the barbarians were reduced to extreme necessity, in the midst of a feast, they died with the fire, the sword, and the poison which they are accustomed to extract from the yew, and so the greater part escaped from the captivity, which seemed to people more hitherto untamed intolerable than death …

The quartet is in one movement and begins with a slow introduction where I describe the desolation of the battlefield seen from above, as a view of a bird, with thousands of heroic soldier’s corpses who caused their own death so they were not captured as slaves. After the introduction, there is a fast part that starts with a theme inspired by the Celtic legacy. A second theme represents the arrival of the Roman army with their horns and drums. Finally, the two main themes come together, as in a long siege and with an unexpected end, such as the collective suicide of the Celtic soldiers. The piece is a colourful and virtuosic work where I use all range of the instrument and is full of strong emotions, action, and drama.”