"Air Spirits"/"Hero Twins" from Emergence (2018) - Connor Chee

The Navajo, who call themselves Diné, have their roots in the Four Corners region of the Colorado Plateau, where distinct Navajo culture emerged around 1100–1500 AD. After persecution and internment by the United States drove them from their homeland, Navajo leaders fought for and won the right to return to their homeland, Dinétah, in 1868. The boundaries of Navajoland, Diné Bikéyah, is now the largest land area retained by an indigenous tribe in the United States. It governs 250,000 people on 27,000 square miles of land in Utah, Arizona, and New Mexico, an area larger than ten of the fifty states.
Navajo pianist and composer Connor Chee is known for combining his classical piano training with his Native American heritage. Chee made his Carnegie Hall debut at the age of 12 after winning a gold medal in the World Piano Competition. A graduate of the Eastman School of Music and the University of Cincinnati’s College-Conservatory of Music, Chee’s solo piano music is inspired by traditional Navajo chants and songs. Wanting to preserve Navajo music and inspire others to learn about their culture, he originally planned to transcribe Navajo songs taught to him by his grandfather. However, Navajo music is an oral tradition, so rather than attempt to transcribe it verbatim, he incorporated musical elements from the tradition into new compositions.
Navajo music is traditionally monophonic, using repetition and fragmentation for musical development rather than harmony. In his compositions, Chee often places these melodies on the piano, a traditionally homophonic instrument, and adds harmonies of his own creation. He often uses quartal and quintal harmonies, musically alluding to the number four, which is sacred in Navajo culture. This harmonic style creates an open sound that can have both strength and depth or grace and softness.
In these pieces, Chee captures aspects of the Navajo creation story, Diné Bahaneʼ (Story of the People). “Air Spirits” refers to ants, beetles, locusts, spiders, other insects, and bats, who were inhabitants of the First World, Niʼ Hodiłhił. The First world is described as “black as black wool”, with four corners and four clouds. “Hero Twins” refers to two heroes, the grandsons of First Man and First Woman, who rid the earth of monsters and giants. Unlike traditional Western classical music, Traditional Navajo music does not have a sense of climax and resolution. In a similar manner, Chee’s style is not strictly programmatic – elements of the pieces do not correspond directly to story elements. Instead, I think he creates the atmosphere and character of the story, encouraging people to explore further into Navajo tradition.
These pieces preserve Navajo musical tradition, but also provide a valuable entry point for non-Navajo people to learn and support Navajo culture. I have certainly learned a lot studying them. Below are some of the sources I consulted when learning about this music and culture, and I highly recommend exploring them to continue learning:
Navajo Government History: https://www.navajo-nsn.gov/history.htm

Navajo Creation Story: https://openamlitcwi.pressbooks.com/chapter/navajo-emergence-myth/
Navajo Song and Dance: https://www.loc.gov/item/ihas.200197478

Видео "Air Spirits"/"Hero Twins" from Emergence (2018) - Connor Chee канала nldstone