The Magic World: Ritual Music for Three
Judith Lang Zaimont
About this work:
The Magic World: Ritual Music for Three (1979, 1980) -
For baritone, piano and percussion (wood blocks, tambourine, triangle, cymbals,
jingle bells, Almglocken, tubular bells, tom-tom, bell-tree, glockenspiel) (23')
Text: American Indian texts
Publisher: Sounds Alive!
Six Song Cycle written for Duncan Bockus, Connecticut Opera Association.
"First Flower Song"
"Firefly Song"
"Storm Song"
"A Spell to Destroy Life"
"Second Flower Song"
"Elegy Dream Song"
First Performance: New Haven, CT, March 1983
Other Performances: Heckscher Museum - Long Island ; Contemporary Music
Forum (Washington, DC)
"A colorful and commanding work. This is contemporary music you really
want to hear again."
-- The New Records
"Highly imaginative...a fascinating sonic context. Versatile treatment of the
poetic elements maintains a high level of interest throughout. Zaimont's
range of creative possibilities is unencumbered by partisan prejudices,
resulting in one of the most satisfying 'New Romantic' pieces that I have
heard."
-- Fanfare
"This is a piece of considerable poetic and incantatory power. Zaimont has
freely allowed the words to stimulate her musical imagination, and a 'magic
world' of compelling rhythmic energy, provocative instrumental textures
and haunting melismatic melody is the impressive result."
-- Ovation
"Exhilarating and sometimes spectacular replication of the Indian's spirit
and creed -- his flower songs, his ghost dance, his storm song stamping a
whirlwind, lightnings, thunder and great rains, his mystic, destructive
spells."
-- Deseret News
Year composed: 1980
Duration: 00:23:00
Ensemble type: Voice, Solo or With Chamber or Jazz Ensemble:Voice with Chamber/Jazz Ensemble, 2-5 Players
Instrumentation: