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The Drop That
Contained the Sea

A SONG CYCLE ABOUT
THE WATER CYCLE

  • Released May 8, 2014

Concept

Water is one of the most powerful forces in the world. It creates life and brings about death, and it has the power to shape the face of the earth. Water means different things to different cultures, and I wanted to explore this in The Drop That Contained the Sea. Each piece is inspired by water in a different form, arranged in the order that water flows through the world: melting snow, mountain streams, rivers, the ocean, and so forth. And like Calling All Dawns, the end of the album flows back into the beginning, reflecting the endless nature of the water cycle. Each of the 10 pieces is also sung in a different language, exploring a different vocal tradition: Bulgarian women's choirs, Mongolian throat singing, and Portuguese fado, to name just a few.

Theme and Variations

The title of The Drop That Contained the Sea comes from a Sufi concept: in the same way that every drop of water contains the essence of the sea, inside every human is the essence of all of humanity. In keeping with this idea I've introduced a water theme in the prelude, and woven subtle variations throughout the album. It contains all seven notes of a major scale-four descending and three ascending-mirroring the flow of water through our world, and representing the vast ocean of melodic possibility contained within a single scale.

Guest Artists

The album features an all-star collection of international classical and world music artists, including Soweto Gospel Choir, Le Mystère des Voix Bulgares, Dulce Pontes, Anonymous 4, Schola Cantorum, Kardes Türküler, Nominjin, Roopa Mahadevan, Angel City Chorale, and the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra (conducted by Christopher Tin).

Notable Performances

The Drop That Contained the Sea was given its world premiere at Carnegie Hall in New York, NY on April 13, 2014, by the Distinguished Concerts Orchestra and Choir, conducted by Jonathan Griffith. The European premiere was given at the York Barbican in York, UK on July 16, 2016, by the Mowbray Orchestra and Angel City Chorale and Prima Vocal Ensembles, conducted by Christopher Tin.

Tracklist

Water Prelude (feat. Angel City Chorale)

Haktan Gelen Şerbeti - "The Drink from God" (feat. Kardeş Türküler)

Temen Oblak - "Dark Clouds" (feat. Le Mystère des Voix Bulgares)

Iza Ngomso - "Come Tomorrow" (feat. Soweto Gospel Choir)

Tsas Narand Uyarna - "The Heart of Snow" (feat. Nominjin)

Passou o Verão - "Summer Has Gone" (feat. Dulce Pontes)

Devipravaha - "Goddess River" (feat. Roopa Mahadevan)

Seirenes - "Sirens" (feat. Anonymous 4)

Haf Gengr Hriðum - "The Storm-Driven Sea" (feat. Schola Cantorum)

Waloyo Yamoni - "We Overcome the Wind" (feat. Soweto Gospel Choir)

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LYRICS AND LINER NOTES

I’ve heard three preview tracks, and it’s evident that Christopher Tin’s The Drop That Contained the Sea will deliver above and beyond its gorgeous predecessor, Calling All Dawns. Tin’s passion for the voice and sensitivity with an orchestra shines brightly and I can’t wait to hear the whole album. It’s fantastic music.
Emily Reese, Minnesota Public Radio
The concluding movements of the work made clear why Tin is a multi-award winning composer. Upper voice writing was haunting and hazy; in a sea of sweeping cinematic sounds, evocations of darkly sinister storms, rolling waves and foreboding clouds were shot through with sparkling lights in the high strings. The final song, We Overcome The Wind, was an outpouring of joy; a unanimous standing ovation evinced the sense of togetherness at the heart of this concert.
York Press
The Drop That Contained the Sea is a powerfully dramatic work, well-conceived and skillfully realized. While retaining his marked ability for writing music with a wide appeal, he has also formed his own distinct voice without any obvious influences... the end product is reflective of Mr. Tin's deepending maturity as a composer.
NY Concert Review
Calling All Dawns simply took my breath away and after a few years the conceptual composer returns to simply wow us all again with a beautiful album that has to be heard to be believed. Hands down, I can say now this will be the Classical album of the year – nothing will touch it. This wave stands taller than the rest. Stunning.
Higher Plain Music
The Drop That Contained the Sea is one of the must-have albums of 2014 for those who appreciate his unique approach to classical crossover music. I find it to be much more diverse emotionally compared to Calling All Dawns. I eagerly await his next album but I’m afraid he may have set the bar a bit too high with this one.
Game Music Online