Sati and Satya

Originally written in 2016, and re-worked for several different instrumental combinations since then, “Sati” and it’s optional second movement “Satya” make the perfect addition to any chamber concert program or HSC Australian music repertoire. It was originally commissioned especially for HSC students by Manly Selective School and has been performed by Monica Curro and Stefan Casamenos (violin & piano), and is soon to be released by Sally Walker & Emily Granger (flute & harp).

“Sati” in Sanskrit language refers to “mindfulness” in the Buddhist sense. The piece is quite pretty and peaceful in it’s opening moments, a contemplative and gentle mood where the mind is focused. We are beginning our journey of mindfulness. The material develops into more strident and emotional statements of melody, which is leading the music into an escalated “sturm and drang” middle section. The piece then slows down into an attempt at bring back the more contemplative material. However this attempt at bringing the mind back to stillness is not working as the melancholy repeated notes and the sojourn into a bittersweet passage in a minor key are representative of a sad memory entering the mind and then causing a major disruption. It seems that negative emotions are winning over in this battle: we move quickly between sweetness and sadness. After a stop and a pause, a passionate force brings both players back to the peacefulness heard in the opening moments of the piece.

The second movement is called “Satya” which is Sanskrit for “truth”, or being truthful in one’s thought, speech and action. I tried to let it flow from me as easily as possible, using some of the same ideas from the first movement, but in a much more dissonant and dark mood.