SAMSARA

SAMSARA is a sinfonietta commissioned by Maestro Luis Oliveira as a gift to the Banda Musical de Lagares (Portugal) in celebration of its 120th anniversary.

According to many of the philosophical traditions and religions of India, Samsara represents the cycle of life: birth, life, death, and incarnation or rebirth.

In the truth of Dukkha, the first of the four noble truths of Buddhism, Buddha explains that the world is suffering. Specifically, he asserts that Samsara is suffering. In his view, there is a mode of existence based on wisdom that transcends suffering. The origin of Samsara and its perpetuation (in Hinduism and Jainism as well as in Buddhism) is ignorance or the non- recognition of reality, a labyrinth that is at the same time also a great illusion.

The composer is inspired by this cycle of life to create his first sinfonietta, a twenty-minute composition divided into four interlinked movements.

These four movements correspond to the eponymous parts of the wheel of life: birth, life, death, and rebirth. The composition is built on the Bb major chord and on the melodic motive A (sensitive) Bb (tonic) Gb (3rd of the IV in the minor mode) and F (dominant).