Scylla and Charybdis: These are the two sea monsters from Greek mythology guarding each side of the Strait of Messina. Odysseus and his sailors navigated this notorious stretch of water they had to steer a middle path between the monsters to avoid coming too close to the shore and in doing so, risking losing their lives.

“Choosing between Scylla and Charybdis is a metaphor which means ‘opting for the lesser of two evils’. The composer of today steers a similarly precarious path, facing questions such as: embracing or renouncing tradition; use of tonal centres or atonality; adhering to pre-conceived musical forms or use of narrative forms; allowing one instrument to dominate, or integrating them. In my mind the vision of the perilous and deadly Scylla and Charybdis mirrors these and other dilemmas facing composers, where possible danger may lie in store for those siding too closely with one extreme or the other.” – Graham Waterhouse

The result is an impressive album: fast-paced and lyrical, melancholic and mysterious, festive and hymnal. Music, in short, that delights in reconciling opposites.

Composer and cellist Graham Waterhouse was born in London in 1962 into a musical family and has lived near Munich since 1992. Graham Waterhouse studied composition with Hugh Wood and Robin Holloway at Cambridge, cello with Young-Chang Cho at the Folkwang Hochschule, as well as with Siegfried Palm. In 2018 he was awarded a PhD from Birmingham City University. He considers composing and instrumental playing to be mutually beneficial and draws inspiration for his works from the creative processes of rehearsing and performing. Graham Waterhouse’s music has appeared on CD, notably on “Portrait” (Cybele, 2001) with works for piano, clarinet and cello; and “Portrait 2” (Meridian, 2004) with music for string orchestra (English Chamber Orchestra) and for wind ensemble (Endymion).