Stephen Yip
Spirit Labyrinth
Duration: 10'
Solos:
harp
Spirit Labyrinth
Sample pages
Video
Work introduction
The piece was inspired by a Greek mythology, Labyrinth dating back to about 2,500 B.C.E. Labyrinth is a single, non-branching, on-path design, which has no tricks or decisions to be made. It is only needed to open the mind and spirit and to trust that walking the labyrinth path is to surrender to divine guidance.
Although there is no absolute way to walk, to practice a labyrinth, there is a basic three-part meditative promenade: 1. A letting go: emptying the mind and body to quiet the burdens and surrendering the thoughts to spirit. 2. A letting in: as reaching the center, spend the time to stay, and the place is for meditation and illumination. 3. A letting out: when taking the same path to walk back, refreshed and empowered by the spirit.
Musically, composer was influenced by this three-part meditation structure in order to outline three continuing sections in this piece. The materials in the entire piece are inter-related.