Composer

:

R. Murray Schafer

Genre

:

Vocal

Style

:

Vocal Music

Compose Date

:

2003

Average_duration

:

12:26

Thunder: Perfect Mind is a musical composition by Canadian composer R. Murray Schafer. It was composed in 1972 and premiered in Toronto in the same year. The piece is divided into three movements and is scored for a large ensemble of instruments, including percussion, brass, woodwinds, and strings. The first movement of Thunder: Perfect Mind is characterized by its use of percussion instruments, which create a sense of urgency and tension. The brass and woodwinds enter later in the movement, adding to the intensity of the piece. The second movement is more contemplative, with a slower tempo and a focus on the strings. The third movement returns to the energy of the first, with a driving rhythm and a prominent role for the brass section. The title of the piece is taken from a Gnostic text called the Thunder, Perfect Mind, which is believed to have been written in the second century CE. The text is a series of paradoxical statements attributed to a female divine figure, and it explores themes of gender, identity, and spirituality. Schafer's composition reflects these themes through its use of contrasting musical elements, such as the tension between the percussion and the strings. Overall, Thunder: Perfect Mind is a complex and challenging work that reflects Schafer's interest in exploring the relationship between music and spirituality. It has been performed by a number of orchestras and ensembles around the world, and it remains an important piece in the contemporary classical repertoire.

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