Primals No. 4 “Nhandesy”, for double contrabass flute (solo) and flute ensemble

In Tupi-Guarani mythology, there is no figure of “God” as conceived in the Western world. For some tribes, the idea that comes closest to this concept is Nhandesy, a feminine being who once fell asleep and dreamed of creation.

In her dream, Nhandesy brought forth the opposites — such as day and night — as well as time and space. For these Indigenous cultures of Brazil, everything we experience is, in fact, part of that dream.

Perhaps it is not necessary to seek a rational explanation for this mythology, for this archetype. Perhaps it is more important to live it, to experience it.

This piece is the way I found to work with these images within myself — and to bring them outward, so that they may also be experienced by others.

The composition does not aim to be strict or self-contained; on the contrary, it seeks to open doors that seem to conceal other dreamlike images, which for me are as real as the waking state we so highly value. As with any symbol, what it represents is what truly matters.

The rhythmic rigor and precision required to perform these ideas should not close the door to feeling, to swing. The nuances, extended techniques, and timbral transitions must not take the place of the meaning within the phrases and melodies.

Composed in 2025, this work is part of the Primals cycle for flute ensemble and was written for the VII International Flute Festival of La Traversière in Paris.

Victor Somma

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