Rituals

Mystery and intrigue are at the core of this exciting work which is based on sacred rituals performed by the Mayans in some of the most spectacular and extensive cave systems in the world. Opening with a chant-like theme, the music soon explodes into a whirlwind of rhythmic activity. The aggressive character of the music pushes forward as various themes compete against ostinato figures while an intense rhythmic pulse brings the work to a rousing conclusion. Exciting! Many years ago, in the area of the world now known as Belize, seeping rainwater and underground rivers began carving their way through the soft bedrock and limestone of the region, eventually sculpting some of the most spectacular and extensive cave systems in the world. To the people of the Mayan culture, these caves were immensely important. The vapor clouds that formed at the mouths of many of the caves suggested to the Mayans that these were the places where wind and clouds were born. To them, here surely dwelled the gods of nature, and caves came to be regarded as the portals between the tangible human world and the invisible world of the gods. For the Mayan people, the underworld of caves was a place where human souls could triumph over death and join the world of their revered ancestors. It was in these caves, deep below the earth's surface, that the Mayans performed their most secret and sacred rituals.