The year 2020 bought many things to people who struggled to cope with a world that was changing rapidly, dangerously so for many. Cellist Margaret Maria’s world bought her face to face with the vulnerability of the human form, when her sister was on life support for many weeks, a victim of COVID 19.
How to reach out, to offer love and hope at a time when words simply fail? She reached for her beloved ‘cello, composing an album of love, hope and renewal as the days passed and eventually her sister was out of danger.
Where Words Fail showcases the rich talent of Margaret Maria, for many years’ a member of the Vancouver Symphony Orchestra and National Arts Centre Orchestra. She moved away from the classical scene to compose and record her own music, pushing the boundaries and creating a unique sound in the neo classical genre. It is a delight to hear compositions that are more on the classical spectrum, with hidden gems reminiscent of her more recent edgy compositions.
Commencing with the beautiful Blessing of Awakening she is reaching out, offering the waves of sound as a gift of love, as change is discovered, healing beginning, the first signs of recovery evident.
From the Brink is a piece that is full of worry, despair, hope and gratitude written in the early days of illness, when life was tenuous, when family held on to hope, waiting for the first signs of recovery. Sombre and yet beautiful in the darkness of the moment.
Healing Hearts is a piece that is pure energy; healing from Angels, prayers answered and also a recognition that each one needs space to accept, to heal, to be able to put together the pieces of a life that was and beginning to reshape the life that is. Majestic in its flow, the piece is one to simply sink into and enjoy.
Following on is the soulful Raindrops from Heaven, a reflective and melodic piece that was composed at a time when solace of the soul was required. This is a very personal song that will resonate with anyone who has reached a deep weariness of the soul and needs time to simply be at one with oneself.
Edgy, a cross mix of classical and neoclassical is the fanciful Wings of Wish; the tide is turning, the future looks a lot less bleak; a kaleidoscope of emotions and feelings, thoughts, where hopes and dreams come together, is a delightfully quirky, up-tempo piece, slightly reminiscent of another ‘other world’ full of mischief and magic.
Classical in intent and delivery Turning Broken into Beautiful is the perfect piece to close a work that is heartfelt, charismatic, healing and ultimately, full of acceptance that all things too will pass and life, changed irrevocably, will continue.
In the words of Margaret Maria, ‘Let this music wash over your tired soul and lift you into a beautiful space full of love and healing and beautiful self-acceptance.”
