Description
Dur: 20:15
Lush harmonies, flowing melodies, and dramatic rhythmic gestures underscore the poetry of Canadian icon Emily Pauline Johnson (Tekahionwake is her Mohawk name). Her father was a hereditary Mohawk chief of mixed ancestry and her mother was an English immigrant.
1) Moonset – Flowing and contemplative. Each verse in this piece builds towards a gorgeous conclusion in “shadowland”.
2) The Giant Oak – Rhythmic and dissonant. The giant oak is a witness to war.
3) Mosses – The melody moves from voice to voice like a “lost wind wandering” in this stirring and dramatic movement.
4) The Firs – A quiet meditation. “The lonely minor chord” is a C# minor chord sung within waves of portamentos.
5) And He Said Fight On – The warlike poetry depicts the poets own battle with cancer.
6) Goodbye – Poetry and music fuse elegantly in a piece about leaving this world behind.
7) Fire – Flowers – Lush and melodic. The composer paints an image of a field of these flowers gently swaying in the breeze.
