The Dance of Shiva
Priscilla McLean
About this work:
A major electronic work, “The Dance of Shiva” is a hybrid that uses the techniques of musique concrete and analog tape composition as well as synthesizers and midi digital composition. The title derives from the Hindu god/goddess Shiva, and sound material draws from Tibetan monk chants, medieval vocal music of Hildegarde of Bingen, bumblebee, violin playing, drumming, and invented woodwind sounds as well as strokes on an autoharp.
Inspired by an almost-taken trek to the base of Mt. Everest, ancient home of Shiva, in 1988, this work is dedicated to Priscilla McLean’s mother who passed away (1990) during its creation. The form of the piece mirrors the Dance--chants emerging from antiquity, words gradually forming, and then scattering, from Buddhist script: “The full moon, the flying bird, the peaks of high mountains, the lotus leaf wet with rain, the roaming bee, the woodland mire. All these things are beautiful.” Gradually a buildup of textural complexity, with voices and instruments reaches a climax, the apex of the dance of life, which suddenly explodes to silence and confusion. Hildegarde’s music is heard, eventually combining with Tibetan Buddhist chants, as the Earth returns to life and quiet affirmation of the endless cycle of life and death. Accompanying the music is a set of slides now being converted to DVD which enhances the musical experience.
Year composed: 1990
Duration: 00:16:42
Ensemble type: Electronic Instruments and Sound Sources:Prerecorded Sound
Instrumentation: