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VOICE OF THE PLANET The title was prompted by Alexander Baillie, who commissioned the work. Amongst our ongoing discussions to find a running theme through the music, he wrote the following:
I had to reconcile
his concerns with my own views of reality. The healing power of music is
proportional to each person's susceptibility. That is to say: his disposition to
detect and evaluate the parameters which make a particular piece of music
'work'. Quite apart from what music is capable of expressing in the first place,
we usually speak to the converted and for them the music can either be
reassuring and lend a voice to their feelings; or re-ignites convictions and
understandings that were already there. At best it profiles and articulates
these feelings, convictions and understandings on a non-verbal level. For the
naturally curious with some musical knowledge it might open up perspectives of a
musical nature and offer glimpses into the mindset of the composer. The problems in
our world – be they environmental, social, political, psychological, on a
local, national, or global scale – are usually the result of human
shortsightedness, greed, opportunism, lack of knowledge, inability to
communicate, indoctrination or abuse of power. These, we can't address in music.
What we can do, is show an alertness for opportunities and ambiguities in the
musical landscape that we open up with each new piece, elaborate on these and
bring to fruition what had the potential to life. This way the composer
demonstrates what is possible in a musical reality, which can be of a complexity
not unlike what we experience in 'real life'. On the other
hand he can dodge these and follow a path that is proven and tested, and aim to
please rather than to illuminate. It's in that choice that I hope my true
credentials will be found. The planet is a
grave concern to me but my belief in humanity borders on the pessimistic.
Despite its almost unlimited potential for the positive and constructive it is
Sod's law that power is often, if not usually, in the hands of
the irresponsible and, unfortunately, it is power we need to address the great problems which we face today. If
anything, it is creative power we need most, but to unleash it we need the open
and free society that seems to elude vast sections of humanity. I can't reach
those, however much I reach out to and empathize with the millions of our fellow
human beings who suffer as a consequence, or however much I would like to raise
my voice at those whom I despise for causing and perpetuating the problems. Voice of the
Planet therefore speaks with two voices. One is the human voice that Alexander
hinted at. It emerges not without difficulty from the depths and turmoil of its
orchestral environment and when it does, it speaks alternately with promise and
disillusion, sadness and joy, hope and pessimism,
clarity and confusion, passion and resignation. But ultimately this voice is subject to
that other voice: the voice of the planet, that cosmic speck in the universe
which has brought forth oceans, volcanoes, the atmosphere, the tectonic plates,
organisms, plants, all living beings and on top of the pyramid of life: human
intelligence and ingenuity. The planet will survive however much we upset its
subtle balance. Humanity as such is of no concern to the planet and destruction
in its eyes is mere transformation. We will all have to come to terms with our humble destiny which is to gracefully disintegrate into the great scheme of things. There is no redemption, only the transient sparks of our efforts Tetbury, August 2005.
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