Australian Music Centre | Breaking sound barriers

Work Overview

These three pieces were written for alto saxophone, guitar and djembe and were inspired by three mantras used in Tibetan Buddhist traditions. Each piece is constructed around the rhythm of the words of its mantra played repetitively by the djembe, while the other parts were composed over this foundation. Mantra I is based on a mantra to the bodhisattva Green Tara, with words 'Om tara ta tara ture tara'. In Mantra II the rhythm of the words 'Sabbe sattaa sukhi hontu' ('may all beings be well, may all beings be happy) have been stylised into a groove reminiscent of bossa nova, and in Mantra III the rhythm is based on the words 'Om ah hum, jetsun guru padma siddhi hum', a mantra to Padmasambhava, teacher and bringer of Buddhism to Tibet from India. Many interpretations of the work are possible, including the inclusion or not of the original mantras in sung form at the start of each piece, improvisational content from the solo sax/horn and augmentation of the basic djembe rhythm by a fuller percussion selection.

Work Details

Year: 2008

Instrumentation: Djembe, guitar (acoustic or electric/semi-acoustic; classical possible), alto saxophone, alto voice (optional - work can be performed with or without intoning the mantras).

Duration: 7 min.

First performance: by Christina Green, Jefferson Ross, Rachel Nendick — Sep 07. The Boite Composing Women's Concert, North Fitzroy, Vic

The composer notes the following styles, genres, influences, etc associated with this work:
Jazz-classical fusion