Deathless Dharma – In praise of Avalokitesvara (choir)
Sea Songs 2: In the 1990s I wrote three Sea Songs, which were first performed at a Western Buddhist Arts festival in Norwich in 1995. They were later recorded in 1999, with vocals by Aryakanta, Advayaprabha on violin and Vilasavajra on trumpet. I played piano and programmed the drums and sequencer.
Here’s the second of the songs, with words by Walt Whitman, which are a great image of Going Forth into the unknown:
“O something pernicious and dread!
Something far away from a puny and pious life!
Something unproved! Something in a trance!
Something escaped from the anchorage, and driving free.
Cut the hawsers – haul out – shake out every sail!
Have we not stood here like trees in the ground long enough?t
Have we not grovell’d here long enough, eating and drinking like mere brutes?
Have we not darken’d and dazed ourselves with books long enough?
Sail Forth- Steer for the deep waters only. Reckless O soul, exploring. I with thee and thou with me. For we are bound where mariner has not yet dared to go. And we will risk the ship, ourselves, and all.”
Imasmim Sati (choir)
TO SEE MORE CHOIR MUSIC BY TRIRATNA BUDDHIST COMPOSERS go to https://www.buddhistchoralmusic.com