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Description
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In the Temple
The Fire Spirit
The Wind Spirit
The Demon of Destruction
Inspired by the beautiful landscapes of Zion, Bryce and Yosemite national parks in the southwest United States, Temple of the Dancing Cascade is a story of four spirits representing a waterfall, fire, wind and destruction. At the time that I wrote it, I was fascinated with Middle Eastern music, and the piece uses a Middle Eastern scale, and characteristic asymmetrical rhythms transformed into my own style.
Scene 1 is In the Temple. The percussion instruments set the atmosphere in a serene, mystical, quasi-gamelan style. The strings and winds interlock in melodic fragments that suggest the light and dark sparkling on the water in a stream. A descending rivulet of sound intertwines the woodwinds, and the stream continues. In Scene 2, the timpani, tambourine and castanets set up a fast 9/8 beat (2 + 2 + 2 + 3) for the entrance of The Fire Spirit, who performs a wild dance. Brass fanfares punctuate the music as the winds and strings continue interlocking melodic fragments. In Scene 3, The Wind Spirit swirls around in a slower pas de deux with the fire spirit. With his diabolical laugh (in the muted trombone) followed by ominous chords, The Demon of Destruction interrupts their tranquillity. Scene 4 is the fight to the death in disrupted meters, melodic fragments and fanfares. The piece ends with a death scream from the descending woodwind stream, followed by anguished chords and a final, maniacal laugh.
The original version of Temple of the Dancing Cascade, composed in 1981, was for two flutes (doubling alto and piccolo), two bassoons and two percussion. For the 2010 orchestral version, it was fun to interlock the sparkling sound colors, much as the ever-changing colors of water and fire. (2010)
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Notes
| Version 2 for orchestra (10:15 minutes). The original version of Temple of the Dancing Cascade, composed in 1981, was for two flutes (doubling alto and piccolo), two bassoons and two percussion. |
