Larry Sitsky's "Dimensions of Night" draws on ancient legend, myth and spiritual history. It reflects on the connectedness of the world's religious mythologies and their frequent exploitation to cause harm to the vulnerable. The epic employs a series of chords to underpin the sequence of harmonies throughout the whole cycle.

Following the premiere performance late in 2008, music critic Peter Donnelly described the work: "Sitsky is here reflecting on the connectedness of the world's religious mythologies and their frequent exploitation to cause harm to the vulnerable. Beginning with sinuous and winding music depicting Zoroastrianism, the music becomes increasingly violent, edgy and intense. Relief in the form of gentler emotions eventually comes in the 8th section, leading to a purging of evil influences in the utter calm representing the 'tsaddig' shaman figure of the Hasidic Jews in the final section. Michael Kieran Harvey produced playing of amazing virtuosity throughout."

Sometimes demanding for both audience and performer, one is always aware of a powerful musical mind at work.

“THE political economy of concert life today offers little encouragement or opportunity for composers to make extended musical statements.

"Bold programming by the Music Teachers' Association allowed one of Australia's finest pianists, Michael Kieran Harvey, to perform a mammoth cycle of piano pieces by Larry Sitsky, one of our most distinguished and multi-faceted composers. Dimensions of Night explores the spiritual associations of night through a kaleidoscopic series of 10 extremely demanding movements.

"Only a pianist of Harvey's calibre could tackle this work, which requires exceptional stamina and technique, and the ability to see beyond the forest of notes to its spiritual heart. It's tough going and certainly not easy-listening, New Age meditation music. Harvey likes to live dangerously and revelled in the challenge. There was little opportunity to relax in the 75-minute span which evoked imagery from Ancient Egypt to the Kabbalah. Why was Eros, Greek god of love, depicted with such violence while Tezcatlipoca, Aztec God associated with human sacrifice, evoked the most peaceful and dreamy movement, the only one of the set to suggest the Nocturne, quintessential classical form of night music?

"This was one of many puzzles in the music. Sitsky offers no answers, which is perhaps another part of his message. Instead he has constructed an epic work that leaves you thinking about the big questions.”

— Stephen Whittington, The (Adelaide) Advertiser

Mara - excerpt download

1.Chant of Gatha Ushtavaiti
Zoroastrianism

2 Ra Sails the Mesektet Barque
Ra, the Egyptian Sun God

3 Thoh
The Maya God

4 Mara
Mara, the Norse Ondine

Sitra Achra
The other side or realm of impurity

6 Eros
The God of Love

7 Chant Ceremony of the Yei Gods
The Navajo gods

8 Lord of the Smoking Mirror
Tezcatlipoca

9 The Chaos of Aesiod
Hesiod's Works and Days

10 Devekut
The cleaving to God of the Hasidic Jews