Lotus Dreams is the latest album from award-winning musician Christel Veraart. The lotus is a universal symbol of tranquility and renewal, its exquisite flower opening, petal by perfect petal, as it rises out of the muddy waters of its origins. In this album, Christel Veraart explores that theme through both eastern and western musical influences. Genre: Ambient, Meditative, Asian. Listen to Lotus Dreams
The shakuhachi is a testament to the elegance of traditional Japanese culture, and produces a sound that is said to replicate the full range of natural life on earth. I love the sound and meditative quality of this Japanese bamboo flute, and used it in Elegy for a Cherry Tree. In this song it complements my voice and carries us through grief to the beauty of new life — a philosophy that permeates the belief systems of Asia. Listen to Lotus Dreams
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My latest album “Lotus Dreams” retains the meditative quality of my previous albums, exploring similar themes inspired by nature. I often use a mix of Eastern and Western instruments, but here the feel is distinctly Asian. In Bamboo Mist I explore a fusion of influences, a mix of instruments from around the globe that reflect my state of mind. Chinese erhu, dizi and zither are introduced to the Armenian duduk, Spanish guitar, castanets, and Western strings.
Is this East-West fusion or something else? Today many people are embracing Eastern philosophy in yoga and meditation. It’s the same with music – east is embracing west and west is embracing east, there are no strict boundaries. For me, its all about dreams. Recently I went to an exhibit by artist Lee Mingwei – very contemporary art with short live performances of Schubert’s songs. Mingwei calls them Sonic Blossoms. The whole experience was incredibly moving – even though the music and the art were centuries apart and from very different cultural perspectives. Some tracks on “Lotus Dreams” were inspired by pure imagination, others by my experiences traveling in Asia. In the end it is about how you feel.” Listen to Lotus Dreams
Rimba Kuna (old jungle) is one of two tracks (the other one is Jalak Bali) on “Lotus Dreams” that has strong South-East Asian influences. I used the Indonesian gamelan orchestra to give voice to the Indonesian rainforest, which is home to some of the world’s rarest animals and plants. An instrument with a sound and rhythm all its own, the Indonesian Gamelan is the traditional ensemble music of Java and Bali, and is made up predominantly of percussive instruments. Listen to Lotus Dreams
Inspired by Chinese author Jiang Rong’s novel about the dying culture of the Mongols and the parallel extinction of the sacred Mongolian wolf, the music of Wolf Totem (previously released on the album “Polar Suite”) evokes shaman drums and chanting, perhaps voicing a plea for guidance from the animal spirit of the wolf. Listen to Lotus Dreams
Jiang Rong – Wolf Totem – The Novel
Indigenous to Armenia, the Duduk is a double-reed woodwind instrument made of apricot wood, with a distinctive velvety and deeply evocative sound. Often played in a pair to create a richer, more haunting sound, the first player plays the melody, while the second one plays a steady drone called dum. Variations of the Armenian Duduk are found in other regions of the Caucasus and the Middle East, and in recent years it gained the attention of the world through the recordings of Djivan Gasparyan (“I will not be sad in this world” by Brian Eno), and the soundtrack to Scorcese’s film “The last Temptation of Christ.”
I have used the Duduk in my previous album “Polar Suite” where it represented the vastness and loneliness of the Arctic. In Windhorses, from my new album “Lotus Dreams,” the Duduk represents the fluttering of Nepalese prayer flags, which are indeed called “lung-ta,” the Tibetan word for windhorse. When first introduced to these prayer flags, it felt like they were sending their devotions to the sky. Their whipping in the wind reminded me of sailing ships, -of traveling. For weeks they consumed my dreams until one day I found myself in an otherworldly duet with this ancient and soulful instrument. Listen to Lotus Dreams
Silk Road is a composition partly inspired by cellist Yo-Yo Ma, and the richness that comes from the exchange of ideas and cultures, – a recurring theme in my upcoming album “Lotus Dreams”. In today’s world I find comfort in the Silk Road ensemble, founded by this famous musician. My own Silk Road recalls the ancient network of trade routes, a centuries-old model for cultural exchange between the East and West. A unique musical language was born of difference when piano and cello met bansuri, saz, oud, and nay flute. Listen to Lotus Dreams
The Bansuri is a transverse flute made of bamboo. This instrument is associated with the classical music tradition of northern India, often referred to as Hindustani music, but also with the important Hindu god Krishna,- often depicted in the visual arts playing this instrument. Before it was introduced to the classical concert setting the Bansuri was largely a folk instrument.
The Saz is the grandfather of the Greek Bouzouki and originated in Central Asia where the Turks lived before their westward migration. Although the instrument is similar in shape to the Greek Bouzouki, the construction, size and sound of the Saz is different.
Oud (Arabic: “wood”) is a string instrument prominent in medieval and modern Islamic music and is the parent of the European lute. Tunings vary; the pitch range is similar to that of a lute or guitar.
The Nay flute is the main wind instrument of Middle Eastern music, and the only wind instrument in classical Arabic music. An ancient instrument that has been around for 4,500-5,000 years, it is one of the oldest still in use. In fact, it is as old as the Egyptian pyramids, where you find Nay players on wall paintings. The instrument is made of a piece of hollow cane or reed (Persian: “reed”) with five or six finger holes.
Two tracks on my new album “Lotus Dreams” have strong South-East Asian influences. One of these, Jalak Bali, is a tribute to one of the rarest birds in the world, the Bali starling. Again a mix of east and west instruments is used: piccolos sing their voices, and the tune of bamboo flutes call out their plight. Listen to Lotus Dreams
Moving to the here and now, Liquid Zen ebbs and flows within a new experimental genre called Spacemusic. It will be released on my new album “Lotus Dreams”. This eclectic sub-genre of new-age music is described by Stephen Hill (co-founder of the radio show “Hearts of Space”) as “music that evokes a feeling of contemplative spaciousness”. Less concerned with the formal compositional schemes associated with other styles of music, this style finds its influences within the western classical, world, Celtic, traditional and experimental music.
Highly suitable for meditation and introspection, this genre enables states of relaxation, contemplation, inspiration, and generally peaceful and expansive moods. Spacemusic appears in many film soundtracks and is commonly played in planetariums. In short, if you’re into yoga, meditation, or just like to chill out, this music is for you. Listen to Lotus Dreams
The Erhu, by some referred to as the Chinese violin, has only two strings but a skilled performer can produce an amazing variety of sounds. With no fingerboard, it is a highly versatile instrument, and can be played both as a solo instrument or be part of an orchestra. Played upright on the thigh, a performer can use the pressure of their hand on the instrument to alter the tautness of the bow strings. The Erhu is made of ebony or sandalwood, and has a drum-like body with an open back and a front opening covered with snake skin. The body resonates with the strings, producing a rich and intriguing sound.
I love the enchanting sound of the Erhu, which reminds me of the female voice and its ability to express calm, tender and sonorous melodies. As the title piece on my new album (Lotus Dreams), it is an example that echoes the soaring harmonies of my imagination. The Erhu sings its soulful song throughout. Alternating between tender, sonorous, and stirring, this composition takes us to a place of calm and tranquility — a place where we might all dream of lotus flowers. Listen to Lotus Dreams
http://www.chinadaily.com.cn/citylife/2007-06/25/content_901448.htm
https://www.britannica.com/art/erhu