James Yannatos: Symphony No. 2 & No. 7

Symphony No. 2: Earth, Fire, Air, Water for soprano, mezzo-soprano, men's chorus and orchestra is based on a text drawn from the words of North American Indians from the 17th to the 20th century. They speak of "the sacred earth," "the blessings of the great mystery," "their love of this beautiful land" filled with "singing birds and sacred trees," "spring," being "born free where the wind blew free and everything drew a free breath, accepting the kinship of all creatures and unity with the universe." Their voices also speak about being "destroyed by swords and guns," their "people scattered, gone," "the tree withered," their being reduced to a shadow without a voice. Their voices speak to us today. The symphony is divided into four contrasting movements, the structure of each determined by the text. The first performance took place in the Cathedral of St. John the Divine in New York City. The work was revised in 2000. About his Symphony No. 7, James Yannatos has written: "I think of Symphonies as a circle of sound that celebrates the richness and complexity of life to its natural culmination in death. It is divided into four large contrasting movements that could be titles The many aspects of God, Sanctity of Nature, the Glory of music, and, The Varied life of mankind. The text speaks in many tongues that relate to the spiritual journey of mankind."