Mountain Goats And Other Creatures String Orchestra - Digital Sheet Music

SKU: A0.1201464

“Mountain Goats and Other Creatures” was Commissioned by Rachel Jayson and the Lexington High School Symphony Orchestra.

It was inspired by the folk music of my native land of Bulgaria, informed by my experience as a rock musician, reimagined through the lense of my place inside of a community of like-minded artists and musicians, where I have made my real home today.

The first movement - Mountain Goats - is a sort of celebration of renewal, promise, and hope. It represents the tenacious will of grass growing through the snow of early spring, the powerful longing for human connection, the warmth of the sun against your skin on a bright chilly day. It carries both the pristine optimism of youth, and the nervous energy of trying something for the first time.

The second movement - Samodivi - in contrast is dark, heavy and full of passion and desire. According to Balkan myths, Samodivi are gorgeous nymphs who live in the woods and often seduce men with their beautiful song and dance. They are feared and envied at the same time. The music of the second movement represents the mysterious dark forest at night - lower strings create the moss under your feet, higher strings use extended techniques to simulate the noise of branches clicking the wind, a few soloists represent different creatures - both real and imaginary - scurry through the woods above your head. Then you hear the lone song of a Samodiva in the distance, your heart is beating hard, your steps are leading you straight towards the call against your better judgement. It is the ancient story of fear and desire, of self control and complete abandon. You, the listener, become witness to a wild dance, fire in the woods, snakes in their long blond hairs, slender bodies dressed in white clouds dancing to an imaginary beat. Then it all ends abruptly and you left to wonder: Was it real? Did I see it? Am I safe?


The third and final movement of the piece is based on a popular rhythmic folk dance in Bulgaria called Kopanitsa, while the melody creates a fugue between the different voices of the orchestra. The Kids are the little of the mountain goats - free to frolic high above tree line, above any human traces, as close to the clouds as one can get and still be touching the ground below. They are carefree, daring, and somewhat naive, yet safe under the watchful gaze of their parent. The movements ends in cascading repetitions of a musical motif in 5/8 representing the relentless passing of time or at least our perception of it.