Silver Thread Waltz

This is an improvised piano piece that I've reworked and a music video I had fun creating to go with it.  I invite you to take five minutes of stillness to enjoy.

Silver Thread Waltz

This is a wind trio version of the piece I composed for three part a cappella voices, set to a beautiful poem of Langston Hughes called A House in Taos.

Sheet music can be purchased here: https://www.emrivermusic.com/product-page/a-house-in-taos-for-three-voices

Here are the lyrics:

A House in Taos

by Langston Hughes
Rain 

Thunder of the Rain God: 
And we three 
Smitten by beauty. 

Thunder of the Rain God: 
And we three 
Weary, weary. 

Thunder of the Rain God: 
And you, she, and I 
Waiting for nothingness. 

Do you understand the stillness 
Of this house 
In Taos 
Under the thunder of the Rain God? 

Sun 

That there should be a barren garden 
About this house in Taos 
Is not so strange, 
But that there should be three barren hearts 
In this one house in Taos — 
Who carries ugly things to show the sun? 

Moon 

Did you ask for the beaten brass of the moon? 
We can buy lovely things with money, 
You, she, and I, 
Yet you seek, 
As though you could keep, 
This unbought loveliness of moon. 

Wind 

Touch our bodies, wind. 
Our bodies are separate, individual things. 
Touch our bodies, wind, 
But blow quickly 
Through the red, white, yellow skins 
Of our bodies 
To the terrible snarl, 
Not mine, 
Not yours, 
Not hers, 
But all one snarl of souls. 
Blow quickly, wind, 
Before we run back 
Into the windlessness — 
With our bodies — 
Into the windlessness 
Of our house in Taos.

A House In Taos Wind Trio

Hello friends,

I created a simple chant that we can all sing together. Here are the lyrics so all can sing along:

We weave a web

of connection 

for the healing of the earth
   

Let the strands now be woven

Let the healing now flow forth
   

Eeya hey ya hey 

ya hey ya hey 

Ya hey ya 

hey ya yo 

 
Here is the link to the video:

https://youtu.be/L0e3aiDtCoA

We Weave A Web

A friend taught me this beautiful Native American canoeing song many many years ago, which I sing here as a two part round. 

For many years I wasn't sure of its exact lineage but I have since discovered it is a traditional song from the Seneca people, Iroquoian-speaking people who historically lived south of Lake Ontario and were the largest of six Native American nations. 

I would love to know the correct translation of this song. In the excellent English- Seneca dictionary (https://senecalanguage.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/04/SENECA-DICTIONARY-FINAL.pdf) I found that Gaowogoch is the Seneca word for canoe which could be the root of Gayowachinee.

Thanks to Achintya Bala for the photo.

Gayowachinee Native American Canoeing Song

This is an uplifting piece with piano, strings, oboes and other instruments to inspire an awakening to life with a new sense of being. This life is a journey of growth and learning. Through the challenges we face, we are being invited to reach new heights and we are being given the opportunity to transcend old limiting beliefs, mindsets, and ways of being. 

This piece contains some moments of drama to depict those storms but brings the listener back into ascension. May this be an encouraging accompaniment to you as you grow and thrive. May you listen to your heart and rise up, ascending to a place of inner calm regardless of the storms life brings our way.

Sheet music can be purchased here: https://www.emrivermusic.com/product-page/ascension-an-arrangement-with-piano

Ascension

This was written among six other pieces for use in the musical The Snowqueen, written and directed by Carine Radspinner.
This particular piece was written for a soprano singer to sing the Shepherd Psalm in the middle of this piece. This is the instrumental version. It is to be played with the imagery of snowflakes in mind, first delicate flakes that become a wild flurry and then return to the soft magic of gentle flakes that float down from the sky.

The sheet music can be purchased here https://www.emrivermusic.com/product-page/dance-of-the-snowflakes-by-emily-macklow-pdf

Dance Of The Snowflakes

This is a song I wrote when I was seventeen, at the age of awakening when I was finding my place in the world by taking a good hard look at just what it was I was emerging into. I was distressed to see the turmoil, violence and injustice, and I was moved by the awful plight of so many in war-torn countries. I wrote this song for them, and have finally arranged and recorded it so many years later.

Sheet music for the full arrangement can be purchased here: https://www.emrivermusic.com/product-page/don-t-hide-full-score

Don't hide 
EmRiver 

There is blood on the water 
And there are holes in the sand 
We all watch the manslaughter 
Is there no one reaching out a hand? 

Don't hide, don't hide, no, don't hide 

Stained hands and ice cold faces 
To sound the peal of doom 
They send fire to far away places 
And they hide from the moon. 

Don't hide… 

We will rise 
And we will join together 
To shine the light 
In the dark of the full moon 

The night is heavy with blackness 
And secrets hide in the fray 
Come moonlight, expose the injustice 
And chase the dark away. 

Don't hide… 

We will rise 
And we will join together 
To shine the light 
In the dark of the full moon

Don't Hide

In the harrowing months following the suicide of my dearly loved husband, soul mate and best friend, I met one of my spirit guides in a dream. He was an elderly Native American man, with high cheekbones, long dark hair, and kind eyes that smiled even when his mouth didn't. In my vision, he gave me this simple message in three parts. I decided this was a message we could all benefit from, and wrote this song for all of you.
lyrics
As it must be
EmRiver

Don't be afraid;
you are strong.
All is as it must be.

Don't be afraid;
you are strong.
All is as it must be.
credits
from Heart to Heart, released November 23, 2019
Emily Macklow - ngoni, vocals, flutes, saitenspiel, percussion 

all rights reserved

As It Must Be

This is a song celebrating this wonderful time of awakening and connection that we have come to facilitate. What a beautiful time to be alive. This is dedicated to all who have chosen to show up at this time and bring in the change.
lyrics
Love inspired
EmRiver

Hear the calling is to stop and listen,
Feel the impulse is to be aware.
Know the gift of intricate connection,
Depth of meaning, open hearts to share

Ooh inside there, love inspired,
Ooh insight burst into fire.
Ooh inside there, love inspired,
Ooh incite desire.

It’s time to honour the ancient heart song,
Time to gather the sacred seeds.
It’s time to follow the ways of wisdom,
Align our hearts with the tribal beat.

Ooh inside there, love inspired…

Awaken now, awaken,
We arise in love.
Awaken now, awaken,
Realise our power.
Awaken now, awaken,
We arise in love.

Ooh inside there, love inspired…
credits
from Heart to Heart, released November 23, 2019
Emily Macklow - ngoni, vocals, flutes, percussion
Melissa Vanderspek - bass
Camila Lenhart - violin 
all rights reserved

Love Inspired

This is a lullaby, a blessing, a reminder that we come from the stars and carry shimmers of brightness inside. Shine brightly.
lyrics
Brightly
EmRiver

May you always stand tall in the light of the sun,
Shine brightly, brightly.
May your heart be strong when the dark night has come,
Shine brightly, brightly.

May you walk in the power of your own love,
May you sing with the birds who soar above.
May you dance to the beat of your own drum,
Always remember who you are,
And where you come from.
Shine brightly, brightly.
Shine brightly.

May you always be sure in the face of the storm,
Shine brightly, brightly.
May you stoke your inner fire,
Keep it bright, keep it warm,
Shine brightly, brightly.

May you walk in the power of your own love,
May you sing with the birds who soar above.
May you dance to the beat of your own drum,
Always remember who you are,
And where you come from.
Shine brightly, brightly.
Shine brightly.

Shine brightly,
Shine brightly.
credits
from Heart to Heart, released November 23, 2019
Emily Macklow - ngoni, vocals, glockenspiel
AliceSea - backing vocals

Brightly

I wrote this for my wild, playful, creative friend Mischelle O'Donnell (who painted the album artwork and appears on this track). It is dedicated to all wild women everywhere who are part of the earth and the sky, who hear the laughter of the wind and are connected to every other wild thing.
lyrics
Wild woman dreams
EmRiver

She’s the mother, she’s the child
She’s the weaver of all things wild
Speaks the language of the trees
And paints the fabric of our dreams

A burst of stardust magic,
With earth in every breath
Hair of vines entwining,
A fiery dragon’s nest
Beneath her lashes glows a fire
Of molten warmth and sweet desire
She moves like water, wild, windswept,
Like whispers blown from witchy breath

She’s the mother, she’s the child…

Curling like a shell with magic in its turns
Unfurling like the fronds of a tender green fern
She dances, she imagines,
She creates and she dreams
Colours bright and swirling
With pohutukawa seams

She hears the laughter of the wind
She calls the cry of forest kin
Feels the pulse of fairy wings
She chants the song of wild things.

Her heart is wide, warm, and giving
She sprinkles gold by lovingly living
A playful glint of mischief in her eye
She turns plain dirt into sunset sky

She’s the mother, she’s the child
She’s the weaver of all things wild
Speaks the language of the trees
And paints the fabric of our dreams
credits
from Heart to Heart, released November 23, 2019
Emily Macklow - ngoni, vocals, flutes, djembe, rain stick, jungle noises
Mischelle O'Donnell - putorino, some backing vocals and sound effects
Melissa Vanderbelt - bass
Fiona McClure - kisskass

Wild Woman Dreams

How fortunate we are to be alive during this time of awakening. When we look, when we take the time to sit in silence, to drop down inside of ourselves, deep deep down, beyond all the conditioning of our upbringing and the trauma of our experience, even beneath our genetic make up in all its hereditary tangle – if we allow ourselves to drop as deeply as we can possibly drop, we land on what unites us all, what we are all made up of, the fabric of the universe. We find out that we consist of love. It is the energy from which we were formed; it is the breath that gives us life; it is the question and the answer, the beginning and the end, of who and why we are.

I’m grateful for love. It is surely the most powerful force in the universe. It is the very fabric of the universe. It is what each of us will find at the very core of our beings if we would only look. Once we find it there, the eyes of our hearts are opened and we find it within every other being as well. We find love wherever we look, even hidden deep inside the most angry and violent ones, who are themselves badly hurting. As we open our hearts wide, light shines right into our core, and from there love is able to flow outwards without hindrance. Heart to heart our love will shine.
lyrics
Heart to heart
EmRiver

There is an awakening
Wide open our hearts

Heart to heart
Our love will shine

Into our centre shines the light
Into our very core

Heart to heart
Our love will shine
credits
from Heart to Heart, released November 23, 2019
EmRiver - ngoni. vocals, saitenspiel, percussion
Fiona McClure on djembe

Heart To Heart

"EmRiver has a distinct and recognisable sound, which comes from years of developing herself as an artist. Her breathy lyrics and harmonies are optimistic and dreamy. The production is creative, using the natural sounds of the outdoors to give colour and paint a picture." Isla Norman of muzic.net.org

EmRiver

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