Hymn for the Standing Buddhas of Bamiyan

On 8 March 2001 at 1:15 local time in Afghanistan's Bamiyan Province, the Taliban demolished by explosion the world's two largest statues of the standing Buddha. These priceless antiquities, measuring 53 and 35 meters in height, had been carved into a sandstone cliff in the Hindu Kush mountains of central Afghanistan some 1600 to 1700 years before. Both images had already been subjected to antiaircraft and tank fire before holes were drilled in their torsos and filled with dynamite. All appeals by the international community to save these sacred art treasures from destruction fell on deaf ears, as the Taliban relentlessly carried out their plan to rid Afghanistan of "idols" they considered offensive to Islam.

This savage act perpetrated by Muslim extremists, however grievous its consequences for all lovers of art and culture, was, in the end, merely symbolic. In their misguided zeal to establish a pure Islamic state, the Taliban produced only ugliness and demonstrated a degree of religious intolerance that shocked and repulsed both their countrymen and the world. But the gentle spirit of Buddha--the Indian prince who renounced all earthly possessions in his great quest for understanding and enlightenment--has by no means been diminished by this tragic perversion of spirituality.

On 21 May 2001, Joseph Dillon Ford composed the "Hymn for the Standing Buddhas of Bamiyan". It was intended from the beginning to be the germinal seed of a nonsectarian project requiring the voluntary participation of composers throughout the world, each of whom is invited to create a variation on this simple nineteen-measure pentatonic theme.

The basic concept behind the project is simple: Each time a computer-user accesses and listens to either the theme or any variation of the hymn, the computer in question becomes a component of a global sound-sculpture. What is more, each time the hymn or one of its variations is performed somewhere in the world, the sculpture assumes a new form. Thus, Hymn for the Standing Buddhas of Bamiyan is a living work of art, an organic testament to the beauty and freedom of the human spirit as it unfolds in wisdom and understanding.

All variations composed thus far can be heard by scrolling to the bottom of this web page and selecting any of the links listed.

If you wish to take part in this project, which has no designated deadline and will unfold without regard to conventional measurements of time, then kindly observe the following instructions:

Meditate on the significance of selfless awareness as you compose a variation on the "Hymn for the Standing Buddhas of Bamiyan."
Your variation may be for any combination of voice(s) and instrument(s), but please do not add any text to the hymn as it is intended to remain wordless.
Please compose your variation for performance using the resources of the World Wide Web so that it can be heard directly on computers around the globe. Standard MIDI files are recommended at the present time. As technology changes, so will the means of performance.
Place your variation as a graphic (JPEG or GIF) and/or sound file (e.g., MIDI) on an appropriate web site. (It is recommended that you embed your MIDI or other sound file so that it will begin to play automatically once the web page is accessed by visitors.)
Include the following text on the page:

This variation on the "Hymn for the Standing Buddhas of Bamiyan" is one of many parts of a musical sound sculpture of global scale intended to commemorate and sustain the significance of the Standing Buddhas of Bamiyan, Afghanistan, destroyed by the Taliban in 2001. For the history of this sculpture, and to see and hear its other parts, please visit the following:

/sound_sculpture.html

As this project is not a commercial venture, the original theme and your contribution will be considered a gift to humanity that should always be offered to listeners on a not-for-profit basis. (Composers retain all rights for their own work under relevant national and international laws.)
Once you have completed and tested the page on which you have placed your variation, please send the URL to:

sebastiannewmusicclassics@gmail.com

Be sure to include your name, e-mail address, and any additional contact information you would like to provide (e.g., mailing address, telephone number, etc.)

Buddha Blues