This set of seven movements uses a broad palette of choral orchestration. The first piece, "The Lands Around My Dwelling" (Inuit), features free and changing meters and frequent divisi. Movement two, "As My Eyes Search" (Chippewa), is energized by close canonic entries. Movement three "War Song" (Sioux), is a vigorous piece with canonic imitation and some tone clustering, starting with a single voice parts and expanding to full SSAATTBB texture. Movement four, "Love Song" (Nahuatl), in alternating 8/8 and 9/8 is a lyrical, rhapsodic setting of a ravishing text. Movement five, "Pleasant It Looked" (Winnebago), features a soprano soloist (imitating a boy soprano) and is a quiet meditation. Movement six, "Upward Going" (Tewa), is again move vigorous, and Movement seven "Two Dream Songs" (Wintu), concludes the work in a quiet benediction. |
