Work
Brahma Samhitā
for voice and string quartet
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About
This piece is a meditation on the ancient Sanskrit text, the Brahma-saṁhitā, which describes the transcendental personality ‘Govinda’, “who is adept in playing on his flute, with blooming eyes like lotus petals with head decked with peacock's feather, with the figure of beauty tinged with the hue of blue clouds, and his unique loveliness charming millions of Cupids.” This charming text describes this personality and his fantastic abode, which has “thousands of petals and a corolla like that of a lotus, the whorl of the leaves being the actual abode of Govinda.” I hope this string quartet portrays the majesty and beauty of the descriptions from within this ancient poem, and allows the performers to express the inherent beauty of their instruments.
Commissioned note
supported by the Nicholas Tarling Charitable Trust
Dedication note
for the New Zealand String Quartet
Text note
from the ancient Sanskrit text, the Brahma-saṁhitā