Sinai: A Composer’s Musings

First and foremost, Sinai is for me a gift from God.  I can say that without hesitation, because the music poured itself out to me over a period of weeks, without any deliberate creative effort on my part.  Having no prior experience at composition, I could not have made it up if I had wanted to.  Having received the gift, however, it took me many long years to bring it to fruition.  Life has a sneaky habit of getting in the way when you are not paying attention.  However, it is now complete.  A symphonic work in four parts, like a typical symphony, although somewhat shorter than the typical symphony.

Second, Sinai is an emotional piece.  That is, it is the best translation of my emotional experiences resulting from my Middle East Travel Seminar (METS) journey of 1990.  The awe I felt about the very land itself; the joy I felt at connecting with people in very human ways; the sorrow I felt about the seemingly intractable cycle of violence and blame throughout the land; the frustration and anger I experienced in wrestling with my God over the “meaning” of it all.  All of this and more is poured into the full work that I call Sinai.  The original work is in four parts: The Land, The Meditations, Al Souk (The Marketplace), and Ocean Flight.  I will say no more about that here.

The piece written for the METS 25th anniversary is called Sinai Mélange.  A mélange is an assortment of things.  And I intended this brief work to be a musical assortment – a collage so to speak.  It is not an overture.  An overture is typically written for and played by the same group of instruments that will eventually play a fuller, complete work -- as in a ballet or musical theater piece.  Also, an overture is the musical parallel of Cliff Notes.  If you hear the short version, you’ve heard the essential parts of the longer version, just lacking a few of the more interesting details.

Sinai Mélange is not an overture, for three reasons.  One, it is scored for a much smaller ensemble than the full symphonic work.  Second it is not a musical synopsis of its longer relative.  Rather it borrows from many, but not all, of the original themes and reworks and reorders them.  Hearing this piece is not a substitute for hearing the full symphony.  (Hopefully your curiosity will be sufficiently piqued to come hear the full piece when it is performed April 4, 2006!) However, upon hearing the symphony, you will notice several similar musical ideas.  Third, Sinai Mélange has been developed to be a “partner with” a video presentation, rather than to be a fully stand-alone piece.  Nonetheless, I hope you find it sufficiently engaging.

I have so many people to thank for this opportunity, and I will name some of the more notable ones.  (Always a risky proposition, but quite necessary in this case.) First, Pat Pattillo and Lynn Pattillo Cohen for the friendship that gave me the opportunity to be a METS sojourner.  Second, Susan Cofer for daring me and encouraging me to attempt composition in the first place.  Third, Betsy Verner and the Planning Committee for asking me to be part of the celebration, never having heard a note of this.  Fourth, my arranger and fellow composer, Jim Stallings, who has helped me with both pieces, thereby, allowing me to make musical “gems” from a beautiful, but rough stone.  Fifth, my fellow traveler and friend Sue Wieland, who has graciously underwritten all the expenses for tonight’s performance.  Sixth, my mother who encouraged my earliest interest in music and believed I had musical creation in me long before I appreciated it in myself.  Last, and most importantly, my wife and best friend, Patrise, who has courageously supported my life’s work including my musical dreams.

Blessed is the God who has made it all possible!

Sincerely,
Douglas R. Hooker
October 3, 2005