The Rising of Mother Country (2022)

"A memory - a living canvas of our journey in life, each chapter captured and re-lived through a songline, a chant, a lullaby

This work has been written for piano, bassoon, horn, flute, oboe Clarinet violin, viola, cello, double bass, didgeridoo and voice, for the world premiere at the Adelaide Festival 2022

In composing this piece, I draw on the strength of each individual performer, as I reflect on our mother country. I visualise the coming together of all nations - a thought of the lullaby which may remain with each player.

In this world of 2022 what is that we carry from our DNA in this day and age? - what is it we carry onto the next generation of story tellers?

Each instrument interprets a part of the players landscape, their own history and bloodlines of their mother country - we in turn welcome people into a safe space  - the lullaby, like chant - the player has chosen their instrument as a way of communication, a modern day paint brush.

This work about our mother country and unity also highlights the truth of hardships and the importance of language, cultural heritage and respect of legacy acknowledging generations before us and their contributions to society. I hope the music written helps reflect on the true spirit of heart and soul.

The Rising of Mother Country evokes that memory- like the flowing of the rivers - we come back to our mother.

The enchanted lullaby that resonates across our mother country is passed on from generation to generation. Our DNA holds our history, our truths and acknowledgements, as do the trees and the water of the earth. I believe we carry forward the legacy of our ancestors.

From time to time our mother country cleanses and speaks to us through our connection to the earth and the stars. Our Songlines, our spirit, joins as one humanity, a singular frequency morphing  into a cacophony of all existence spiraling up and out to the universe and back to us, humanity.

The Rising of Mother Country is, to me, the power we all have collectively that our shared histories of truth are a part of healing, strength and determination. The lullaby of our ancestors resonates through the medium of music, the old chants, that internal heartbeat of our soul.

Our Spirit shall forever live on through our language, our music, our art and culture.

We shall return to our Mother Country."

- William Barton 2022