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Mike Herting's Sai Symphony Featured

Written by  21 May 2016
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Sai Symphony - The Ensemble in Puttaparthi on Nov. 23, 11.2015 Sai Symphony - The Ensemble in Puttaparthi on Nov. 23, 11.2015

Sai Symphony is a composition by German composer Mike Herting for classical orchestra, choir and soloists from India, Africa and Europe. It is a piece commissioned by Sathya Sai Baba Trust in order to celebrate Swamis 90th birthday. In five movements, Sai Babas life, his teachings and doings are reflected.

Sai Symphony has been played for the first time on November 23, 2015 in Puttaparthi and subsequently a week later in Delhi. Some of the most renown musicians from India took part in these concerts, namely Guru Karaikuddi Mani on Mridangam, Shashank on Flute,Debarshish Battajarjee on Indian Slide Guitar, Suda Ragunatham as a singer, Ganesh and Kumaresh on violin plus many others. Famous Mauritanian singer Cheickh Lehbiadh and the renowned percussionist from Senegal, Pape Samory Seck also took part as well as German altosaxophonist Heiner Wiberny. 

The length of the piece is more than two hours. The composer has been studying western classical music as well as Carnatic music and in his composition uses elements of both cultures, bringing them together for the first time and
thus creating a unique sound, full of musicians' craft and spirituality. The music speaks directly to the heart of the audience, regardless of nationality, color or religion. It is made in order to transgress fear and reluctance between
cultures and peoples, thus creating a liberating atmosphere of understanding and love.

The instrumentation for the orchestra is as follows:
1st vlns
2nd vlns
Vlas
Vcs
Cbs
2 fl
2 ob(1engl hn doubled)
2 cl
2 fg
3 trpt
3 tb
Tba
4 hns
3 perc (timp, snare, gran cassa, bells, shaker, tamb, misc.)
Piano
The choir must be composed of at least 32 singers separated equally into
Soprano (1 soli)
Alto
Tenor (1 soli)
Bass
The solo instruments are:
1)Full Version
Indian percussions (3-4)
Indian mandolin
Indian Slide guitar
Indian vocals
African vocals
African percussion
Altosaxophon
2 Indian violins
Indian Flute

Some of these solo instruments could and should be replaced by instruments local to the performance, according to where the symphony is performed. So for instance, if Sai Symphony should be played in Japan, the flute could be replaced by a shakuhachi, one of the singers could be Japanese and so on.

2)Reduced Version
Indian percussions (3)
Indian plucked instrument
Indian vocals
African percussion
Altosaxophon
Indian Flute

The remarks regarding the Full Version apply to the Reduced Version as well, orchestra soli for two violins then are mandatory. 

Read 24879 times Last modified on Saturday, 21 May 2016 17:06
Ralf Plaschke

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