Part composer....Part explorer

 

atopKukulcan.jpg
Over thirty-five years and eleven visits to the Mayan region, U.S. composer Jeremy Haladyna has
ventured ever more deeply into the magic and mystery of Maya culture, and given something back
in the form of his unique body of work, THE MAYAN CYCLE.  Spanning media and genre from
music for a single instrument, to voice, to computer, to DVD-audio, to full orchestra, this wide
variety of pieces seeks to address everything from the most ancient roots of Mayan cosmology to
contemporary political struggles.                                  
  Seated Mayan lord dressed in an animal pelt; photo by J.H., San Antonio Museum of Art, 12/19                                                                                                                                                
                                                                                                                                              small featherlord

THE MAYAN CYCLE
of Jeremy Haladyna (work dated 1986--)

1.    Quoth the Jade Mask   cello, piano

2.    El Llanto de Izamal   viola, piano

3.    En la Estera del Chilam Balam   amplified flute, C
       or G (On the Mat of the Jaguar Priest)

4.    The Oracle of 13 Sky   soprano, small chorus, pno.,
       organ, electronic playback, instrumental ensemble

5.    Puczikal Petén   [Spanish version]  computerized
      fixed media, narration.  Hearts of Yucatán, English
      version.

6.    Zaquico'xol   Eb tpt., organ
       (A Red Dwarf Tends the Volcano)

7.    The Maya Curse Pedro de Alvarado   piano quintet

8.    Jaguar Poems    sopr., Pierrot ens.+ 1 perc.
       (chamber vers.) or,  sopr., piano (piano vers.)

9.     Aluxes!   2 picc., piano resonance

10.   The Crystal Skull of Lubaantun    fixed media
        electronics

 LISTEN to the Crystal Skull interpreted in notes based on the Mayan Calendar!

11.   Mam Se Mueve   horn (+conch shell)/pno.

12.   Pok-ta-Pok    2-pno. version;
        version for large orchestra

13.   Copal   7 instruments plus concertato harpsichord

14.   The Vision Serpent   piano solo

15.   Precious First-Rat     alto flute, celesta

16.   Motmot   flute, alto flute, metronome

17.   Chalchihuites   solo cello

18.   2012   solo horn, electronic delay and efx

LISTEN to the "2012 theme," heralding the end of the  Fourth Creation in the year 2012!

      [Steve Gross, horn, w/processing]

19.   Monster Owls   2-ch. stereo CD, 4-ch. DVD-A

20.  Godpots (Ollas)   3 fl., doubling picc., alto fl. and
       ocarinas or, 4 fl., doubling picc., alto fl., bass fl. and ocarinas

21.  The Descent of Kukulcan   bsn. solo, bari sax, amplified
       hpschd., vibraphone, percussion (drumkit, accessories)

22.   Zapatismo!    double chorus, SATB + SATB;
        2 gte. parts (doubled), marimba, castanets
        3 graduated toms, maracas

23.   Yaxuun [Raxóm, mystical bird]   solo piano

24.   Demon Zero   4-track DVD-A  [or 2-tr. CD-R] plus solo stereo scratch tracks

25.   Tollan  [I. Place of the Reeds, II. Snake Mountain].   oboe and pipe organ

26.  Only Armadillos They Danced    string quartet plus (live) scratch turntable

27.   Xtaj [Lust Woman] or, La Llorona  amplified piano solo, with piano harp efx

28a.  Xunaan Balam [Jaguar Woman]   amplified soprano,  piano
28b. Xunaan Balam [Jaguar Woman] 
amplified soprano, 2 percussion, piano

29.   The Princess of the 9 Cave   fixed media:  soprano, 4-hand marimba, electronic tracks,
        2-track and 4-track versions

CLICK FOR PIECES NOS, 30 and ff. ! 

E-mail Jeremy Haladyna  (link, or:  haladyna@ucsb.edu)

More about Jeremy Haladyna

Obtaining Scores and Recordings

Jeremy Haladyna in the monster mouth at Chicanná, Campeche state, MX...treasure of the Rio Bec style.  July, 2008 [photo by Dutch tourist]

Jeremy in monster mouth