Composer

:

Tunde Jegede

Genre

:

Chamber

Style

:

Chamber Music

Average_duration

:

4:15

'Songs of the Eternal' is a contemporary classical composition by Tunde Jegede, a British-Nigerian composer, cellist, and kora player. The piece was composed in 2016 and premiered on October 22, 2016, at the Barbican Centre in London, UK. The composition consists of four movements, each of which is inspired by a different spiritual tradition. The first movement, titled "Invocation," draws on the Islamic tradition and features a solo kora, a West African harp-lute. The second movement, "The Lord's Prayer," is based on the Christian tradition and features a choir singing the Lord's Prayer in English and Latin. The third movement, "Om Shanti," is inspired by the Hindu tradition and features a solo cello playing a raga, a traditional Indian musical form. The final movement, "Zikr," draws on the Sufi tradition and features a choir singing a Sufi chant in Arabic. The characteristics of 'Songs of the Eternal' are a fusion of Western classical music and traditional African and Indian music. The piece showcases Jegede's unique style, which blends his African and European musical influences. The use of the kora and cello as solo instruments adds a distinctive sound to the composition. The choir's use of different languages and spiritual traditions adds to the piece's diversity and inclusivity. Overall, 'Songs of the Eternal' is a beautiful and thought-provoking composition that celebrates the diversity of spiritual traditions and showcases Jegede's unique musical style.

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