Ripples

Ripples

Have you ever sat by a tranquil pond and tossed a pebble onto its glassy smooth surface and watched the ripples of circles that appear? Of course, depending on the size of your pebble and how far you tossed it, you can sometimes see the ripples lapping up to the shoreline in front of you.

I often shared the challenge of skipping stones with my Dad—he was a tough one to beat! Finding the correct shaped stone and the perfect trajectory was all part of the fun! Multiple circles of small waves would intersect yet continue to expand despite the interference. Watching those ripples slowly move across the surface is mesmerizing - especailly when the water is still and undisturbed.

Naturally there’s a metaphor for this as well, as the Dalai Lama quote indicates. Each one of us and every action we take has a ripple effect on what’s around us—not only shaping the life we lead—but imperceptibly affecting the lives of others we interact with. This same concept is directly applicable to nature and the ecological balance of our environment. Deforestation, species extinction and climate change are also a result of the ripple effect although on a much broader scale.

About the Music
The instrumentation for this composition is simply an ensemble of Native American flutes and a Native American frame drum. An acoustic bass joins in halfway through the piece to support the bass flute. The music is composed of repetitive sequences to mirror the hypnotic effect of ever expanding concentric circles of water ripples from a splash. The coda section (vamp/fade) features a call and response improv between the lead Native American flute and the bass flute. The last flute heard on the fade is the pocket flute...