Neukompositionen

‘Two Worlds' was commissioned for the 2022 Centenary of Brass Band Bürgermusik Luzern, Switzerland.

“The truly unique trait of Sapiens is our ability to create and believe fiction. All other animals use their communication system to describe reality. We use ours to create new realities.”
Yuval Noah Harari

Since reading the books of YNH, the idea that all human life is based around imagined reality seems self-evident to me and, as the Israeli author also puts it: “Power is making a lot of people believe the same story.”

Ancient superstitions developed into great religions, uniting huge communities of humans but also resulting in bloody conflict. Arbitrary lines in the sand have been drawn to demark borders of nations and empires, instilling a sense of identity and purpose in billions of people but also leading to unimaginable bloodshed. Imagined hierarchies have always existed between peoples: aristocrats and peasants; men and women; blacks and whites. The ideas of freedom and equality are relatively new phenomena.

Two Worlds seeks to explore the power of imagined realities and the conclusion that we can control our own destiny if we listen to the right voices. I base the unfolding musical narrative on dramatic episodes from both the Ancient World and the New World: Egypt, where 3,500 years ago millions of Egyptians united in their unquestioning belief in many gods which guided them to the afterlife; and the United States where, having already invaded the land of the Native Americans, European settlers decreed that God created all men equal – just not black people or women.
These two worlds are not quite as arbitrary as they seem because 1922 (the year of the foundation of Brass Band BML, the music’s dedicatee) also marked both the discovery of King Tutankhamun’s tomb and the dedication of President Lincoln’s Memorial, and the music zigzags freely between the two eras, the universe and, finally, the modern day.

“Those who tell stories rule the world.”
Native American Proverb

Synopsis

1. THE UNIVERSE - 14 billion years ago

The music begins with a ‘Big Bang’ creating an infinite void of space and time in which only physics, chemistry, and biology determine the order of things. Organisms gradually emerge from the void until one, humans (represented by the motif of a rising octave and falling 4th), develops a language enabling the birth of fiction.

2. DAWN – Ancient Egypt - 3,500 years ago
The basses provide a dark and murky backdrop symbolising the Netherworld which, according to belief, is navigated every night by the Sun God Ra. (The motif of rising octaves a tritone apart represents the supernatural). The music is a long crescendo as Ra successfully negotiates all the trials of the underworld and there is a glorious, life-affirming sunrise over the Earth.

3. WAR – (Dis)United States of America - 150 years ago
There is an angry burst of percussion and the dissonance of conflict begins. One of the main reasons for the outbreak of the American Civil War was disagreement about slavery and Abraham Lincoln used his huge political will to change America’s story. The music has different ideas fighting each other, often bitonally, although The President (trombone) provides a steadying voice.

4. DIALOGUE – Fugal Fantasia
The music wanders into the realm of pure fantasy. Tutankhamun (a delicate flugel) meets Lincoln (trombone) over drinks to debate matters from each of their worlds. Lincoln buys Tutankhamun an espresso coffee and the favour is returned with a cup of sheleh (red wine). The musical discussion progresses through a double fugue with recitatives, and the dialogue of these two great leaders achieves much progress for humanity.

5. DESOLATION - The Netherworld
The crack of the assassin’s weapon kills Lincoln bringing his life to an early end in a parallel with Tutankhamun who died of ill-health at the age of just 19. Humanity mourns, loses its faith and descends into meakningless, directionless despair with solos for soprano and solo cornet.

6. MONUMENTS - Planet Earth - today
But as is so often the way in the history of humanity, there proves to be a light in the darkness because hope is never fully extinguished. The sun rises in the East again as belief returns. Humanity recognises the positive contribution Lincoln and Tutankhamun have made in shaping the narrative of history and honours both with magnificent and majestic monuments in an effort to inspire the storytellers of the future.

“Many stories matter. Stories have been used to dispossess and to malign. But stories can also be used to empower, and to humanize. Stories can break the dignity of a people. But stories can also repair that broken dignity.”

Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie

I was absolutely delighted to be invited to compose something for the BML Talents Band, a group which is full of energy, dynamism and excitement. I have tried to reflect this in my music with infectious, lively Latin rhythms and virtuosic solos for the talented young members of the band. I have called the piece Supernova. It refers to a very bright star (something which BML Talents has many of) and also to the Bossa Nova style of the music. I hope everyone in Luzern and beyond will enjoy my new piece!