| |
The Australian Aboriginals believe that the country did not exist until the ancestors sang it, and that still, to be perceived, its songlines must be followed by the descendants. Dana Wilson's Shakata: Singing the World Into Existence is a sort of collective ritual whereby the ensemble conjures up the earth and its various aspects. The term "shakata" has no literal significance, thereby allowing it to be a trans-lingual (or pre-lingual) intonement. Much of the works' rhythmic components might draw for the listener associations with certain styles of rock music, and therefore the piece might mistakenly by perceived as purposefully "contemporary." On the contrary, it is the composer's belief that such components are quite primitive (in the sense of "primary," not "simple" - perhaps that is the reason why, in this age of ephemera and sophistication, rock music is so popular) and their "basic" nature contributes to the primordial quality required to conjure existence.
Back to index of works
|
|
