What is "epiclesis"

n. The part of the Catholic Mass and Eastern Orthodox Divine Liturgy in which the celebrant invokes the Holy Spirit to change the bread and wine on the altar into the body and blood of Jesus. Said at the beginning of the offeratory prayers in the Catholic Mass and at the end of the aforementioned in the Eastern Orthodox Divine Liturgy.

The epiclesis (also spelled epiklesis; from "invocation" or "calling down from on high") is the part of the Anaphora (Eucharistic Prayer) by which the priest invokes the Holy Spirit (or the power of His blessing) upon the Eucharistic bread and wine in some Christian churches.

In most Eastern Christian traditions, the Epiclesis comes after the Anamnesis (remembrance of Jesus' words and deeds); in the Western Rite it usually precedes.

Epiclesis is a composition for flute by Juan Maria Solare (Cologne, 25–30 September 1995) [Duration: 4:30].

In the preface to the score, the composer refers to the Mathnawi of Mawlana Jalaluddin Rumi as an inspiration of this piece. The title, Epiclesis, is to be understood as "Invocation", "specifically the invocation to the divine strength and power."

The piece makes use of the so-called extended techniques: pizzicato, glissando, overtones (harmonics), multiphonics and "Paukeneffekt" (tongue ram). According to the score, Solare's Epiclesis should be played on as "bass" a flute as is available (contrabass flute, bass, alto, soprano flute).

Epiclesis achieved the Second Honorific Mention in the First National Competition "Juan Carlos Paz", organized in 1996 by the Fondo Nacional de las Artes (National Endowment for the Arts) in Argentina (category "piece for unaccompanied instrument"). Jury: Salvador Ranieri, María Teresa Luengo and Fernando González Casella. It was also finalist at the competition "Rarescale / Royal College of Music", London, 2004.

Epiclesis is Solare's first piece for unaccompanied flute. Up to 2009 he has written round ten pieces for flute solo.