Sacred Spirits: Forces of Nature (2013-14) – for marimba and harp - (9:00)
 
Commissioned by Alvin Lane
 
Complete instrumentation: marimba (plus bass drum, wind chimes, wood blocks, splash cymbal), harp (plus rocks, B natural crotale, bass drum)
 
Watch the video here.
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Program Notes:
 
Percussionist Alvin Lane commissioned this piece in the summer of 2013 and I completed its writing in November of 2013. Alvin asked that I write a four movement work based on the four elements and, after further research and reading on the subject, I came across this beautiful Native American-inspired prayer:
 
Four Elements Medicine Wheel Prayer
 
O Great Spirit of the North,
Invisible Spirit of the Air,
And of the fresh, cool winds,
O vast and boundless Grandfather Sky,
Your living breath animates all life.
Yours is the power of clarity and strength,
Power to hear the inner sounds,
To sweep out the old patterns,
And to bring change and challenge,
The ecstasy of movement and the dance.
We pray that we may be aligned with you,
So that your power may flow through us,
And be expressed by us,
For the good of this planet,
And all living beings upon it.
 
O Great Spirit of the West,
Spirit of the Great Waters,
Of rain, rivers, lakes and springs.
O Grandmother Ocean
Deep matrix, womb of all life.
Power to dissolve boundaries,
To release holdings,
Power to taste and to feel,
To cleanse and to heal,
Great blissful darkness of peace.
We pray that we may be aligned with you,
So that your powers may flow through us,
And be expressed by us,
For the good of this planet,
And all living beings upon it.
 
O Great Spirit of the East,
Radiance of the rising Sun,
Spirit of new beginnings,
O Grandfather Fire, Great nuclear fire — of the Sun.
Power of life-energy, vital spark,
Power to see far, and to
Imagine with boldness.
Power to purify our senses,
Our hearts and our minds.
We pray that we may be aligned with you,
So that your powers may flow through us,
And be expressed by us,
For the good of this planet Earth,
And all living beings upon it.
 
O Great Spirit of the South,
Protector of the fruitful land,
And of all green and growing things,
The noble trees and grasses,
Grandmother Earth, Soul of Nature.
Great power of the receptive,
Of nurturance and endurance,
Power to grow and bring forth Flowers of the field,
Fruits of the garden.
We pray that we may be aligned with you,
So that your powers may flow through us,
And be expressed by us,
For the good of this planet Earth,
And all living beings upon it.
 
Each movement of the music is named after its respective Spirit in the prayer. I used the descriptions of the elements from the prayer and outside resources to create the appropriate soundscape.  I hope that each movement reminds you of the natural beauty found on our planet in its purest form.