hamartia (9)


(Ratha Yatra Festival in Puri, India / Painting by James Fergusson)

Juggernaut. Lots to say about this one. Make sure your seat is confortable...

I’ve started the writing for this singular piece on November 2, strangely enough beginning with the epilogue. I “completed” it over the following weekend, on November 9. The lyrics, and thus the vocal melodies, remain to be addressed, mainly because I’m not sure which approach is best : the symbolical, the theoretical, or the experiential. The vocals wil

Read more…


Ratha Yatra Festival in Puri, India » by James Fergusson)



The third part of « Juggernaut, » entitled « Procession, » evokes the arrival of the crushing force before it unleashes into a frenzy of steamrolling.


The title and music of this section are both inspired by the origin of the word. From Wikipedia :


The English loanword juggernaut in the sense of "a huge wagon bearing an image of a Hindu god" is from the 17th century, inspired by the Jagannath Temple in Puri, Orissa, which has the Ratha Ya
Read more…

Essay : On the Meaning of Sin

View on Issuu
 

liberty.jpg?w=160
Blake's Tarot Liberty Card » by Mary K. Greer)

I spent most of the second half of January writing an essay on the concept of sin, its meaning and its implications.

Actually, this is a matter that has been hovering in and out of my mind since the end of July 2011, but I guess I wasn't ready to tackle it until recently.

Originally, I thought it would take the form of a blog post, albeit a longer than usual one. However, I quickly discovered that I had a lot to say on the subject,

Read more…

Understanding


Detail of a poster for the International Hygiene Exhibition 1911 in Dresden » by Franz von Stuck)


« Understanding » is the third segue in the series that I have written as a means of combining earlier compositions into a conceptual piece of nearly one hour in duration.

Each of the miniature musical junctions emphasizes a particular lesson that was learned over the course of a demanding quest, proving essential to the success of the endeavour. In the case of « Understanding, » the acquired know

Read more…


Wilesco D36 steamroller » by Morn)



« Steamroller » is the fourth chapter of « Juggernaut. » In the storyline of the suite, it represents the apex of pain, and the metanoia.


The instrumental is one of the most busy pieces of music that I’ve written up to now, and features a personal record for odd meters with an organ riff in 23. It is intended to hit hard and convey a feeling of inexorable mercilessness.


I have no plans to augment the composition with vocals at this point, but here's the poetry

Read more…

Resilience (Juggernaut part 5)


("Stone Wheel Juggernaut" by Serge Lachinov)



The fifth section of « Juggernaut » is entitled « Resilience, » which is defined as :


The physical property of a material that can return to its original shape or position after deformation that does not exceed its elastic limit.

An occurrence of rebounding or springing back.


In the storyline of the suite, the section portrays the situation after the traumatic experience, the metanoia, as the protagonists are bouncing back from the onslaught of « Steamr

Read more…

Epilogue (Juggernaut part 6)


("Steamroller" by dam)



The closing movement of « Juggernaut » is entitled, simply, « Epilogue. »


Inspired by ELP's « Abaddon's Bolero » from their « Trilogy » album, this instrumental piece is based on a single theme that is played in harmony by all the instrumentalists over various but similar chord progressions.


The section starts with bass line and triangle, soon followed by the main theme on guitar, and then the various instruments progressively add their voice to the ensemble. The music cres

Read more…

Procession (Juggernaut part 3)


("Ratha Yatra Festival in Puri, India" by James Fergusson)



The third part of « Juggernaut, » entitled « Procession, » evokes the arrival of the juggernaut before it unleashes into a frenzy of steamrolling.


The title and music of this section are both inspired by the origin of the word. From Wikipedia :


One of the most famous of Indian temples is the Jagannath Temple in Puri, Orissa, which has the Ratha Yatra ("chariot procession"), an annual procession of chariots carrying the murtis (statues) of
Read more…


(Erie Steam Road Roller scanned by Andy Dingley from the "New Catechism of the Steam Engine.")

“Steamroller” is probably the most busy piece of poligrafic music that I’ve written up to now, and features my new personal record of odd meters with an organ riff in 23. It is intended to hit hard and convey a feeling of inexorable mercilessness. In the “Juggernaut” storyline, it represents the apex of pain, and the metanoia.

The Music Of Poligraf series are reposts of writings and audio clips that have

Read more…