Spine is the third of the solo pieces of Sigil music that I composed for my friend composer and pianist Athanasia ( https://soundcloud.com/philip-rousiamanis/spine-demo ).
It is a piece for piano and backing track that I have decided to arrange/recompose for wind quintet and backing track. Arrangement can be quite a tedious and mechanical task, so I did a Tarot reading to give it some intention and interest.
The music’s question is: How will I be in this new form? How will I change?
This is what the cards answered:
The vertical card of the small central cross:
Position meaning: The representation of the situation in general.
Card: TEMPERANCE
Meaning: A situation of balance. In this instance, possibly because the piece is quite obviously suited to an ensemble like wind quintet because of its polyphonic nature breadth of colour. The angel on the card pours water from one chalice to another, however the chalices are positioned in a way that the act of pouring looks unnatural or’magical’,which therefore indicates the action of arrangement and re-positioning of things. The angel’s one foot is on land and the other on water, representing the divine knowledge that comes from balancing the functions of the conscious and subconscious mind. Here, we question what a musical piece’s conscious and subconscious is? There isn’t a specific answer but it is important to illuminate the tension between the two. A good example for this is Wagner’s Tristan and Isolde: where we can say that the subconscious is the constant longing for resolution and the conscious is the act of trying to get there. This reflects the narrative through Wagner’s use of harmony. There is a constant longing for resolution (subconscious) and the harmony continually is trying every single possibility it can to fulfil this (conscious) but ends up constantly transposing. So we could say in this case that the conscious is the harmonic micro-structure and the subconscious the macro-structure. This is not always the case, however asking this question will expose the complicated and dual nature of human intention and action portrayed in music.
Horizontal card of the small cross:
Position meaning: Obstacle
Card: THE DEVIL
Meaning: The devil often shows us a position where one is completely bound in hers/his superficial/material desires. A position of half knowledge which leads to enslavement and bondage. Musically, this can be the indulgence in unnecessary virtuosity or denseness of orchestration. Some times the simplest things are the most effective.
Alternate reading of the small cross:
The small cross can also be seen as a representation of ‘vertical’ and ‘horizontal’ time. The first being the spiritual time or eternity and the second being the time we consciously measure. Spiritual experiences are said to be non-temporal because they are always in rhythm with the universe which is eternal or a-temporal. Rachel Pollack in seventy-eight degrees of wisdom says: ”vertical and horizontal time derive from symbolic interpretations of the crucifixion, where Eternity, embodied in Christ as the Son of God, intersected the ‘horizontal’ movement history, that is, the death of one human being.
If we see it like this the vertical card is the person’s inner universe and the horizontal the his/her actions. So, in this case, Temperance is the inner stability and balance of the person, but the Devil shows us that their actions are quite indulgent. Indulging is not always something that leads to bondage, occasionally it can be very freeing. In the Devil card the two people are held on chain leashes, but they are both loose around their necks, which implies that freedom is their choice. The Devil can be a card of allowing one’s self to indulge, which can also lead to freedom.
Bottom card of the big cross:
Position meaning: Basis of the situation/problem.
Card: Seven of Pentacles reversed
Meaning: The seven of pentacles is a card of satisfaction caused by material success. The figure is looking down on the material possessions he earned and worked for with contentment. Reversed cards though usually represent some kind of energy blocking or energy reversal. Here, I see a dissatisfaction about his work, not because of laziness or poor intention but because of overworking and worrying – not letting things grow naturally. Like a farmer who can never be too in control of his crops. Its a card that shows us that not all is in our control. We need to know how much to let go and let nature take its turn. In terms of the arrangement this card shows me that the music wants to be as natural as it can, that I don’t need to make it sound very artificial just in the name of experimentation.
Left card of the big cross:
Position meaning: Recent past. A phase that is just finishing.
Card: Ten of Wands
Meaning: A figure overwhelmed by work and responsibility. Both of which he has taken up because of the wand cards’ fiery urge to react to every stimulus because wands are all cards that mainly represent action/fire. However this tendency has costed its freedom, which he clearly craves. I see this card as a commentary on the previous version of the piece.
Upper card of the cross:
Position meaning: Possible outcome
Card: Five of Pentacles reversed
Meaning: Collapse and ruin, and judging from the previous card, of its freedom and impulsive nature. As this card is a possible outcome, I see it as a warning not to be too anal about the arrangement and its relation to the initial form of the piece.
Right card of the cross:
Position meaning: Near future
Card: THE EMPEROR reversed
Meaning: The destruction of the father/phallus (psychoanalytically). A revolution against social order, which could be: the clear linearity of the piece, the clean harmony, the constant backing track.
In general, the cross shows us that the music has an urge for liberation.
For the reading up to now, I have been translating the meaning to the musical process for every card. From now on I will just give the non-case-specific meaning of the cards. Many times, what the cards tell us are not easily translated into words, but like sigils get deeply imprinted in our minds. Above all you should trust the image itself and not what someone tells you it means.
First (bottom) card of the staff:
Position meaning: Attitude towards the situation
Card: Nine of Pentacles
Meaning: Material success because of discipline and appropriate sacrifice. This is a card the helps us understand a bit more about the querent’s psychology.
Second card of the staff:
Position meaning: The environment of the situation.
Card: Ten of Swords
Meaning: Anguish and death. So quite an obviously hostile environment. However the sea behind the stabbed figure is still calm, so there is still hope. It can also be seen as a card of serenity and contemplation after a difficult situation
Third card of the staff:
Position meaning: Hopes and fears
Card: Knight of Swords
Meaning: Instinctive action and bravery.
Final Card:
Position meaning: Outcome
Card: THE LOVERS reversed
Meaning: Destructive union. In this card I see not only love and union but also the triangle of desire. One always circumvents hers/his desires because the thing humans desire the most is to desire. Because the card is revered the triangle is reversed as well. The reversed triangle is a symbol of water and therefore the unconscious self, passivity, nature and nurturing.
Sigil Music 