Mantra

Mantra – Robert Moran By Adam Pearson

Collection of modern classical and experimental. Some epic, triumphant classical and more experimental soundscapes. 5-7 are all percussion pieces, while the rest are horn/organ based. My favorites are the epic, gorgeous melodic pieces, but do not hesitate to play the more experimental percussion pieces because they are really good, too. No FCCs.

*1. Slow horns open, gorgeous choir, organ, trumpets swell, slow release. This sounds like standing below Moses while he brings the ten commandments down in the rain and Talk Talk is doing the orchestral soundtrack. (8:52)
2. 4 trumpets, 3 trombones, contrabass trombone, tuba, very imposing sound, like an important court meeting of a king and you are listening to the musicians make a statement as he arrives. (7:11)
*3. Organ focused, slow and wrenching, grows more dissonant to a horror sound, and then returns to harmonious fading out. (8:39)
4. 3 choruses, dissonant, ominous chanting opens the song and continues to build on clashing voices to an exciting climax. (9:28)
5. Was written for the Kennedy Center’s 25th anniversary, bubbly bells and percussion playfully interact. (4:02)
6. Commissioned for a dog? A percussion work, rain sticks, marimbas, chimes, vibraphones, bells, a ‘musical landscape in rain’, a true epic; some cool moments like when the percussion sounds like a dog shaking off water. (15:42)
7. Another huge percussion piece with a Tom Waits feel to it, pianos inject bursts and touches of interest into the soundscape throughout the epic length. (10:01)
8. A ‘wedding march present’, organs dominates this upbeat track, and is ‘happy’; it was written to be played at weddings. (2:36)