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The Falls and Rise series are explorations of the repetition of 3. This repetition of 3 is important within our traditions and stories. It can signify a liminal space, a waiting period for things to work themselves out, dissonance before resolve, a season of ashes before receiving gold, 3 days of mourning before discovering the empty tomb.

Christ Falls 3 times on the way to Calvary. In the Falls series there are 3 pieces of music with a repeating rhythm in 3/4 superimposed atop repeating 3 measure phrases of 10/8. This polyrhythm fades in the 3rd Fall, leaving the listener with 3 vocal parts overlapping amidst an acoustic guitar in 3/4 (or 6/8, depending on your day).

Rise consists of 3 overlapping vocal lines and 3 stanzas during the first half of the piece. As the poem ends, a 3 chord sequences crescendos within a 36 measure phrase with 3 instrumental parts in 4/4, 3/8, and 7/8, beginning at different points in the greater 4/4 structure of the finale. This polyrhythm and syncopation creates a phasing pattern, musical textures similar to rain falling on your windshield or coins clinking in the washing machine.

The World As It Was & As It Is, is another study in phases and repetition, the skeleton of “Rise,” so to speak. The lyrical repetition begs the question, “Is the world so different than it was?” as the musical repetition reminds us that diversity and difference, though we may not fully understand, are beautiful and commune harmoniously within the infinite.

While we wait for things to make sense again, for the notes and rhythms to line up, for a pandemic to end, for work to come through, for elections, for peace, for Christ to fall 3 times and rise 3 days after his death–we are reminded that it is safe to be still amidst ambiguity, to remain unsettled and yet together, to fall with one another, to feel deeply within chaos, and to also hold onto the enigmatic hope that dissonance will resolve-if only for a moment-and death and chaos will not be the notes on which we will rise.

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Adrian Calderon: vox
David Liestman: comp, arr, instruments, vox, production
Erin Liestman: vox
Jack DePuy: electric guitar composition in Rise and TWAIW&AII
*instruments and vocals recorded and mixed using Pro Tools 12

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