Listening to the piece across two parts, what strikes us first is the lyrics, allowing us to feel the spirit of the music, as it moves us to look towards the the sky and feel the earth, the claps and soaring voices celebrating life itself. Towards the middle of Part 1, we hear a violin solo that encapsulates what we have heard so far, almost like an instrumental response, repetitive and driving its core message of finding wonder all around us.
Moving towards a call and response segment, it seems to be more commanding, as a voice rhythmically instructs us on how to live life, the chorus echoing after the leader, as if a kingdom of citizens following their leader. We segue into a light xylophone solo, and it sounds almost like whispering, as we hear the planning, the thinking, and the conversations. These give way to the trumpets and flute, where we can almost see the kingdom now taking shape, buildings rising up as the chorus returns, rejoicing at this majestic utopian metropolis they’ve built, ending Part 1 on a virtuosic finish.
