Spirit Of The Truth
Published by Camden Music
For soprano, trumpet, percussion, drums, organ and childrens choir. 40 mins length approx.
I have written music for many years and have had the good fortune to write for several great instrumentalists of our time. However, in 2000, I began a quest to get to the truth of existence and began to read all the Holy books.
This search overtook my life for four years and led to increasing frustration. In early 2005, I felt the true nature of the divine and Jesus’ teaching was explained to me from the spiritual dimension. As a result, I became overwhelmed with a desire to write a piece celebrating the divine and to show Jesus’ essential message.
I would like to think that this piece could be appreciated by Muslims and Christians alike, both of whom pay homage to Jesus’ teaching in their own way.
"Spirit of the truth" is in 5 sections: The Way-Eye for an Eye-The Truth {Naima}-Mandela-The Life
‘The Way’ was inspired by words in Philip’s Gospel “Blessed is he who is, as he who is,has been and shall be”, as well as by the writings of an 18 year old cancer patient, Jane O’Shaugnessy which were discovered by her parents after she died in 1993 “Love – no one can ever take it from me. I will have it forever. For as long as I live and then until eternity. It will only be in death that I will truly live. Some people search all their lives. And now my time has come to reach high into the skies. And finally a star shines on me. And finally, I can touch eternity”.
I have also included in this piece an arrangement of ‘Naima’ by John Coltrane. To many musicians worldwide, John Coltrane has been a major musical influence, a musical messiah almost, with his album ‘A Love Supreme’ as a kind of new testament. His music has a religious and profound quality which just seemed right for this piece.
In addition, I have used the inspirational words of Nelson Mandela and Martin Luther King, both great examples of Jesus’ words in action and, finally, the words of Jesus himself.