The Ogdoad (“the Eightfold”) is a group of eight deities in ancient Egyptian mythology who represent the pre-creation state of the world. In early Christianity, the Ogdoad was later described by theologians as a region beyond the seven heavens theorized by Gnostic systems.
The four elements they represent, prior to the creation of life as we know it, are Hiddenness, Water, Darkness, and Infinity. Though these four elements have various interpretations and many associated terms (e.g., inaccessibility, chaos, void, etc.), these are the four pillars I explore within the main sections of this work. Each bass clarinet acts as an individual deity, performing solo lines as well as strong accompanimental and structural sections. No single instrument is confined to a specific tonal role; rather, each contributes crucially to the overall function of the ensemble. To reflect how these eight deities worked in tandem to bring the known universe into being, the octet never features fewer than three bass clarinets playing simultaneously. I wanted to highlight the dependency and collaboration of these mysterious beings leading toward the conclusion of the piece: Infinity. (descriptions of each movement will be available on the Composer’s Notes page of the score)