My ninth symphony is a setting of parts of Ernesto Cardenal’s epic poem Canto Cosmico. Cardenal is one of Nicaragua’s most distinctive voices – this is my second work to drawn on Nicaraguan poetry, the first – Triptico Nicaragüense – setting Ruben Darío – an exploration of my Nicaraguan father’s cultural heritage. I have chosen to focus on five aspects of Cardenal’s monumental vision: creation as coitus, a fervent social consciousness, a quiet meditation on the beauty of his home in Solentiname (illustrated above), the grim political realities of Nicaraguan history, and a burning revolutionary spirit. Musically, the five movements of the work form an arc, beginning with an extended tone-poem dealing with creation, followed by a short ʻscherzoʼ dealing with a tragic accident with a sugar press, the central ʻAdagioʼ, another ʻscherzoʼ dealing with political torture, concluding with Beethovenian call to revolution. In the spirit of Eisler and Brecht, the work is direct in expression, communicating with clarity and force without recourse to unnecessarily complexity. Without presenting insurmountable obstacles, there is plenty for the choral society and orchestra to enjoy. Each of the five parts of this work may be performed alone or in association with other selected movements.