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A Deep Hum – The Music The intent of this suite of songs is to celebrate the creation of the universe. There are many, many writings about creation: myths, poems, scriptures, from all over the world. These writings were chosen because they seemed to have a particular resonance with the present day scientific theories of the cosmos.
1. Auguries of Innocence by William Blake This music, based on the first four lines of a poem by the 18th century English mystical poet and engraver, William Blake, moves from the simplicity of a single line of music through two part harmony, a four part chorale, to the complexity of a fugue. It is sung a cappella by the members of the Deep Hum Chorus. Its focus on the relationship of the very small to the very large has resonance in Chaos Theory and in Fractals. To see a world in a grain of sand 2. What Stirred? from the Rig Veda, 10:129 The Rig Veda is one of four books of hymns written by the Aryan people who moved into India some time between 1300 and 1000 BCE. This song states the basic questions that scientists have been trying to answer since the beginning of time. What started it all? What stirred and made creation happen? This piece is performed by Kathryn Singh, Soprano; Alison Thomas, Alto; Clarence Douglas Wright, Tenor; Howard Kadis, Guitar; Connie Tyler, Drum. What stirred? What stirred? What stirred? What stirred? Where? Was there water, bottomlessly deep? There was neither existence or non-existence then. What stirred, etc. There was neither death nor immortality then. That one breathed, Heat.
Poets seeking for wisdom There was impulse beneath. Seed lacers. What stirred? Where? (etc.) Was there water, bottomlessly deep? Perhaps it formed itself, The one who looks down on it, What stirred? Where? (etc.) (fades to end.) Rig Veda. Translated by Wendy Doniger O’Flaherty. London: Penguin Books, 1981.
3. And It Was Good, from Genesis, 1-3 This first creation poem found in the Judeo Christian scriptures was actually written after the second of the two creations poems found in Genesis (the second one being the story of Adam and Eve). It was probably written after the Babylonian exile by the Aaronid priests, perhaps in the 6th Century BCE. Is the wind that swept across the void like the singularity that pops out of the vacuum in the Big Bang theory? It was because of my delight in this poem that I set out to find other creation literature. It is sung by the Deep Hum Chorus with Matthew Laurence Edwards at the Piano and Nancy Hunt on the flute. Day One Creator said, Separation, Chorus: Day Two Creator said, Chorus Day Three Earth put forth, Chorus Day Four Lights in the dome of the sky, Two great lights to rule the night, Separation Lights in the dome of the sky, Chorus Day Five Piano and flute interlude Chorus Day Six Then, Creator said, Male and female, Chorus And on the seventh day, … the seventh day. The New Oxford Annotated Bible, ed. by Bruce M. Metzger and Roland E. Murphy. New York: Oxford University Press, 1991. 4. Is It Mother of the World? from the Tao Te Ching by Lao Tsu These two verses from the most famous of the Taoist literature may have been written as early as the 6th century BCE. In verse 25 I was fascinated with the use of the words “void” and “receding” which resonated with the scientific theories of an expanding universe that leapt into being through a singularity in a “false vacuum”. Verse 1 seemed important, too, as every time we try to limit the universe by “naming” one theory as truth, we discover something that widens our perceptions. This piece is sung by Alison Thomas, with Nancy Hunt on the flute, Vivian M. Evans, Bells, Clarence Douglas Wright, Gongs and Connie Tyler, Industrial Chimes. The Industrial Chimes were created by Kenneth and Connie Tyler from square steel pipes from the hardware store. There is a thing confusedly formed, The Tao that can be told Lao Tsu. Tao Te Ching, translated by Gia-Fu Feng and Jane English. New York: Random House, 1972 5. All Things from the Avatamsaka Sutra Written around 300CE this short Buddhist thought reminded me of how often the myths and writings about creation start with a sound, like the vibration, that movement of the singularity as it pops into existence in scientific theory. And before existence, the dream? Sung by Erica Grevemeyer, Alison Thomas, Altos and Jordan Fong, Jeff Nelson, Clarence Douglas Wright, Tenors, with Horns and Deep Chanting created by Roland Synthesizer. All things are like a dream 6. At Every Moment by Laleh Bakhtiar These words from a contemporary book about Sufism, a branch of Islam, spoke to me of the continuation of creation, that the universe and creation are not fixed, but emerging, “continuously” and “instantaneously”. The song is sung in unison by the Deep Hum Chorus and accompanied by Kathryn Singh, Janet Small, violins, and Sally Blaker, Andrew Ritchie, Cellos. At every moment Bakhtiar, Laleh. Sufi, Expressions of the Mystic Quest. New York: Thames and Hudson, 1976. 7. Birthing a Universe, words by Connie Tyler with quotes from John Gribbon, David Filkin, Phillip Dauber and Richard Muller. The words of this song are my interpretation of current (circa 1999) scientific theory about the origins of the universe based on my reading of the writings of various scientists, some of whom are quoted in the poem. The music places many of the themes from the earlier pieces next to a part of scientific theory that I felt they were in resonance with. This music is performed by Roland Synthesizer with spoken word by Connie Tyler. Ten to negative forty-three seconds. Not seconds. Not minutes. |
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Deep Hum Productions is named for that deepest vibration, perhaps the vibrating strings of "string theory", perhaps the Om of Hindu and Buddhist theology, that gives us that sense of oneness with the universe.
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