Promise Of A King
This music and the accompanying video was composed to mark the bicentenary of the birth of Bahá'u'lláh, founder of the Bahá'í Faith. Bahá'u'lláh was born into the Persian nobility in November 1817, but gave up his wealth, status and privilege to bring to the world a message of unity and hope. As a result of His message He was persecuted, exiled and imprisoned for 40 years.
From His prison cell He wrote to the Kings and Rulers of His time including Queen Victoria, Kaiser Wilhelm III, Pope Pius IX, Napoleon and Czar Alexander, and admonished them to cease pursuing riches and power for themselves at the expense of their subjects and the greater good, and seek to work together to bring about the Most Great Peace.
He said that the world would eventually achieve a true and lasting peace with or without them, however they had the power to make this a reality with ease, or alternatively mankind would suffer enormously before realizing that working together was in everyone's interest.
The piece has three movements.
- The first movement, The Great Announcement, symbolizes the Message described above.
- The second movement, The Spurning, tells of the rulers dancing in their halls, oblivious to the fate they were sealing for the world, sending their men off to war with all the attention they would pay to tin soldiers.
- The third movement is in two parts. The first part, "Thus Ye Hath Wrought" tells of the world's disappointment at their decision. A lament begins, followed by a storm, symbolizing the wars we have faced, and then Bahá'u'lláhs message reasserts itself. The second part "Advancing the Process" shows how His followers continued promulgating His message after His passing. Ultimately this provides a message of Hope, leading to the Most Great Peace, which is symbolized by a passing homage at the end to Richard Strauss' Also Sprach Zarathrustra.
A guide to the music can be found at:
