Hi Paludes Pro Civitatibus Habent

In the middle of the Sixth-Century, Roman historian Jordanes writes an essay in Constantinople called Getica, better known as the History of the Goths. Refering to a different, yet slavic people settled in the modern region of Novgorod, Russia, he peremptorily states: "Hi paludes siluasque pro civitatitus habent" ("They only have swamps and woods for cities"). This rather particuliar vision of such a people and scene inspired the present piece of music, in which the low woodwinds instruments emphasize this imaginary atmosphere.