Everest - BSN/PN

Everest was inspired by the grandeur of the Himalayas and by Mount Everest in particular.  The first movement, Rongbuk, is named after the Rongbuk Monastery, which is near Mount Everest in Tibet.  Rongbuk is the highest monastery in the world at an elevation of nearly 5000 meters (over 16,000 feet).  At one time the Buddhist monastery had a population of over 500 monks but today has only around 30 monks and nuns.  Most people who visit the monastery and stay at its guest house continue on to the North Face Base Camp of Mount Everest, or simply admire the grand views of Chomolungma (the Tibetan name for Everest, meaning “Mother Goddess of the Earth”).

The opening of the movement was inspired by a Buddhist chant.  This leads to a section which represents the sweeping views of the mountain, followed by an energetic section based on a rhythm from an actual chant recorded at this monastery.  Later, the music is inspired by the swirling winds at the monastery and the mountain itself.  A brief cadenza leads to a return to the contemplative music of the beginning.

Prayer Flags was inspired by the abundance of prayer flags fluttering around the camps and shrines near Mt. Everest.  Tibetan prayer flags (blue for sky, white for air, red for fire, green for water, yellow for earth) are often printed with prayers or mantras promoting peace, wisdom, compassion, and strength.  Once they are hung, the wind continually blows the intended prayers and mantras into the atmosphere.

In the middle of the movement the bassoon plays a verse of the famous Hindu religious song “Om Jai Jagdish Hare,” written about 1870 by Shardha Ram Phillauri.  The song is dedicated to Vishnu and is often sung in Vishnu temples, but the inspiration to use it in this movement came from hearing sherpas sing the song before an Everest expedition.

The Death Zone is the term used in mountaineering to refer to areas above 8000 meters (26,000 feet – only found on the world’s 14 tallest peaks) which contain insufficient oxygen to support human life for an extended time.  Many deaths on Everest occur in the Death Zone.  This movement begins with music that is slow and plodding, as one’s steps must be at this altitude. Next, hallucinations begin, as they often do for those affected by hypoxia (lack of oxygen to the brain). Finally, unconsciousness and death follow.  This movement is dedicated to all who have lost their lives on Everest.

Kathmandu, Nepal is the starting point for many travelers and climbers going to Mt. Everest.  A bustling city of more than a million people, this movement was inspired by some popular Nepalese music which relies heavily on repetitive bass lines and improvised melodies.