Water Stones (Mayamalavagaula)
Michael Robinson
About this work:
The CD titled Hamoa was a major turning point in my life. All nine pieces on the CD were composed with a new multi-timbral sound module that includes a generous number of world music sounds. In addition, the results of my studies with Harihar Rao, Ravi Shankar's senior disciple, pervade the music on this recording.
Water Stones uses the swaras of the South Indian raga, Mayamalavagaula, and follows the North Indian raga form of alap (conversation), jor (momentum) and jhala (sparkling). The opening balafon melody is colored with shimmering Indian bells. Assisting the percussion entrance is an energetic berimbau ostinato, a Brazilian instrument introduced to me by Ray Manzarek. One listener compared the tabla rolls on this piece to the song of a hummingbird.
-Michael Robinson, December 1999, Lahaina
© 1999 by Michael Robinson All rights reserved
Year composed: 1995
Duration: 00:10:12
Ensemble type: Electronic Instruments and Sound Sources:Live Electronic Sound Sources
Instrumentation: ,1 Computer/Laptop soloist(s), ,1 Sampler (Keyboard/Other) soloist(s)
Instrumentation notes: A computer and sound module are programmed to perform the fully notated composition in real time. Waterstones (Mayamalavagaula) is voiced with samples of the following acoustical timbres using Indian tunings: balafon, tabla, digeridoo, berimbau, tanpura and Indian, African, Korean, European, Balinese & Near Eastern percussion.