Terrestrial Fire

Description

Violin 1, Violin 2, Viola, Cello, Contrabass, Percussion — Inspired by the mascot of Falls Church High School in Virginia, this piece depicts the fierceness and speed of the jaguar. The exciting motif in the key of A minor follows the jaguar deep into the Mayan jungles, with mystical hints of the deity it was once believed to be. In ancient Mayan ruins, carvings of the jaguar are still visible today. They tell a story of the powerful cat whose eyes reflected in the night, leading the Maya people to call it the "god of terrestrial fire." The music follows the jaguar on a hunt with driving rhythms in the cellos and basses, a brief violin solo, and an energetic melody that runs and leaps like the mighty jaguar, fearless and proud. In ancient Mayan ruins, carvings of the jaguar are still visible today. They tell a story of the powerful cat whose eyes reflected in the night, leading it to be named the "god of terrestrial fire." The energetic motif in A minor follows the jaguar on a hunt through the wild jungles with driving rhythmic accompaniments in the cellos and basses. The melody runs and leaps, shifting modally on its way to a violin solo with percussive effects in other sections. Dark and exciting!