Stock: 
Format: 
Release Date: 26-10-1998
Label: Celestial Harmonies
Catalog Number: 17076-2
Barcode: 13711707625
Musical Style: World
Track Listing:
| Disc 1 | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Tantra [14:26] | 4 | Dorje Ling [20:28] |
| 2 | Tsaparang [16:04] | 5 | K-2 [06:50] |
| 3 | Lahaul Valley [12:26] | ||
Description:
Since 1975, David Parsons has made numerous trips to India to absorb the culture, study the music and record performances by indigenous artists. In addition to producing two albums of Tibetan ritual music, in the Sacred Ceremonies ( and ) series, the composer and synthesist has translated the essence of his journeys into the lush, yet, profound soundscapes of Himalaya and Yatra , two critically acclaimed albums of original music. Parsons' latest release, Dorje Ling, was inspired by his subsequent return to Dharamsala, India, home of Tibetan Buddhism in exile. For several months, Parsons lived at the Dip Tse Chok Ling Monastery and immersed himself in the ancient art of Tibetan ritual music. During our stay, my wife, Kay and I would sit in the monastery for eight hours at a time through whole ceremonies,' Parsons recalls. 'Although I'm not a Buddhist and I don't speak Tibetan, I found myself compelled to sit there for days on end just trying to absorb the nuances of it. In this way, the music got into my subconscious and the album is a result of that.' On Dorje Ling, Parsons mixes samples of traditional Tibetan music into his gently evolving electronic compositions. Many of these recordings were taken from material released on Sacred Cermonies 2 , yet the resulting fusion of ancient and modern sensibilities is not meant to be a representation of Tibetan Buddhist practices. Rather, Dorje Ling, is a poetic exploration of the visions this rich culture has inspired in Parsons, culminating in a sonic pilgrimage through the treacherous splendor of the surrounding Himalayas.'
Biography:
From his home in New Zealand, Parsons travels frequently to Asia for spiritual and musical inspiration. After collecting musical samples and studying different musical and cultural traditions, Parsons returns to his studio to integrate these influences with his own experiences. In the process, he bridges disparate elements with seamless grace and creates a unique musical affirmation of our common humanity and cultural endowment. Parsons has been a student of classical Indian music, studying with Krishna Chakravarty - Ananda and Circular Dance , who has studied with Ravi Shankar. David Parson's recordings make the Eastern sensibility comprehensible to the Western listener and formulate a unique and captivating new expression. Recent releases include the original synthesizer recordings, Himalaya. In 1990, Parsons produced the recording, Sacred Ceremonies: Ritual Music of Tibetan Buddhism. This is the first part of a landmark cultural preservation project undertaken at the request of the monks of the Dip Tse Chok Ling Monastery, an order in exile from Tibet, who have taken refuge in Dharmsala, India. Parsons' work is often featured in film, television and radio scores and it has been widely praised by reviewers.
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