Wakati njema

African Suite No. 15
For Recorder Quartet SATB

First Movement: Usiogope (Don't be afraid)
Second Movement: Siku siyo mbali (The Day is not far)
Third Movement: 3. Satz: Hivyo ndivyo (That's it!)

Score and Four Parts

Wakati njema in Kisuaheli means The Best Moment. I chose this title according to the African proverb: "The best moment to plant a tree was 20 years ago. The second best moment is now." I interpret this as wise advice that if you regret not having started something a long time ago, don’t just complain and do nothing, but instead start it now. And by the way - this also applies to myself! The best moment to have become a composer would surely have been 20 years ago, but I only just began to focus on composing the beginning of this year during a long travel through Black Africa. The decision, even though it took me a while, still makes me very happy. I hope you can hear this expressed throughout the whole piece - singing out of intense joy in the first movement, celebrating breathless excitement in the third.

The second movements of my suites tend to be rather melancholic or sad, however this one is full of confidence and optimism, reminiscent of a church song much like those you often hear throughout Black Africa. I will also add that since composing it, the second movement contains my own personal earworm.

I wish to express my biggest thanks to i Flautisti - The London Recorder Quartet (Jitka Konečná, Kerstin Kubitschek, Doris Lindner und Anna Mikolajková) who played a brilliant premiere during the Bach Festival in Vienna at the Lutheran City Church on March 16 this year.

May this piece encourage you to not be afraid (1st movement), so that the day is not far (2nd movement) where you can say: That's it! (3rd movement)

Here are the three Youtube-Videos of the piece:

1. Satz: Usiogope (Don't be afraid!)
https://youtu.be/nU4HhZxq8eg

2. Satz: Siku siyo mbali (The day is not far)
https://youtu.be/zunivcAJlZs

3. Satz: Hivyo ndivyo (That's it!)
https://youtu.be/gNdU-uM4t_k

Enjoy listening!

number of pages: 
24
Price: 
19,90 Euro