bnewman | One new song and some new MP3s (Reply)

One new song

"Hornet's Song" (mp3) is based on a character from the video game Hollow Knight, a beautiful and challenging adventure through a kingdom of anthropomorphic cartoon bugs, ancient mysteries, and just the right mix of whimsy and lurking horror. Hornet is the first antagonist you fight who is also a character with dialogue, a backstory, and a part in the plot. Her musical theme is a tense and lyrical battle of strings, and it's well worth listening to in its original form.

Some new MP3s of old songs

In memory of Ursula K. Le Guin, I've finally posted a recording of "Girl Without a Name" (mp3) my song for The Tombs of Atuan to the tune of Dave Carter's "Disappearing Man".

"Groundhog Day" (mp3) is the last remnant in mainstream American culture of the festival known to Celtic pagans as Imbolc, celebrating the beginning of the end of winter and the first stirrings of spring, not only in the world but also within us. It's also a surreal movie in which Bill Murray lives the same day over and over again. This song brings the two together. This is a crisper and more expressive recording than the one you may have already.

"P'ri Etz Hadar" (mp3) is the name of the first text describing a Tu BiShvat seder. Originally marking the turn of the administrative year governing the tithing and taxation of fruit trees, the 15th of Shevat was taken up by the mystics as a holiday representing the first stirring of sap in the trees (so, not entirely unlike Imbolc). They invented a ritual meal, loosely inspired by the Passover seder, which follows a trail of fruit through the four mystical worlds. At our synagogue a few years ago we hosted such a seder, with different participants offering presentations on each of the worlds. For atzilut, the highest world where all that exists is seen as an emanation directly from the Divine Source, I wrote this peppy little song that will get stuck in your head.