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Additional Information
Journey of the Soul was originally written in 1988 and was for flute and guitar. In 2008, I found the need to transcribe the work for the current forces (violin and harp) and, in so doing, found that the piece took on a new dimension.
It is in three sections, played without a break: Meditation, Dance of Life and Human Consummation and lasts a total of eight and a half minutes. Each section is based on the same musical material, but the second can broadly be thought of as a development of the first and the third a variation.
The following quotes have guided me through the ‘journey’ of the title:
1. Through meditation wisdom is gained;
through lack of meditation wisdom is lost.
Whoever knows this double path of progress and decline,
should place oneself so that wisdom will grow.
(Buddhist, Dhammapada - Sayings of the Buddha 2 (tr. J. Richards))
2. The people of the world lie unconscious,
With veils drawn over their faces, and asleep;
But when the morn shall burst forth and the sun arise
Every creature will raise its head from its couch;
To the unconscious God will restore consciousness;
They will stand in rings as slaves with rings in ears;
Dancing and clapping hands with songs of praise,
Singing with joy, "Our Lord hath restored us to life!"
(Mathnavi of Rumi (E.H. Whinfield tr), The Masnavi Vol 1)
3. This station is the ultimate result of human life; this station is the true fruit of existence; this station is the pearl of human consummation, the shining star toward which human destiny points.
(Abdu'l-Bahá, Divine Philosophy, p. 99)
