Pe ru C Th o sal p eo yr O n do ig ly h He re t in Ta vi Theodore Tavi Hein
Grand Canyon Visions
Sacred Paths Through Storied Nature
For Chamber Nonet
Pe ru C Th o sal p eo yr O n do ig ly h He re t in Ta vi
Instrumentation
1 Flute
1 Horn in F
Violin 1 solo Violin 2 solo Viola 1 solo Viola 2 solo
Violoncello 1 solo Violoncello 2 solo Doublebass solo
Duration
Ca. 8'
Program Notes Grand Canyon Visions: Sacred Paths Through Storied Nature is a tribute to the majestic beauty and awe-inspiring vastness of the Grand Canyon. It is also dedicated to the eleven nations of indigenous peoples, who today continue to uphold their ancient traditions and way of life in the region, including their reverence for the sacredness of the Grand Canyon. I also wish to pay tribute to the people and organizations, who work tirelessly to protect, through preservation and conservation, the Grand Canyon and its surrounding region.
Pe ru C Th o sal p eo yr O n do ig ly h He re t in Ta vi
The Grand Canyon has played an important role in American history and symbolizes much for many people. Grand Canyon Visions celebrates the importance of the Grand Canyon throughout America and the world. It also mourns the mistreatment of its original Native American inhabitants and the threat modern life and overdevelopment have posed to its natural ecosystems. My hope is for the preservation and conservation of the known species of birds, species of mammals, species of reptiles, species of amphibians, countless varieties of trees, shrubs, cacti, wildflowers, butterflies and other insects that call the Grand Canyon home or rely upon it and the surrounding region for their survival. My hope is that the indigenous peoples of the area can continue their way of life, as their ancient cultures have for thousands of years, in harmony with this amazing gift of nature we call the Grand Canyon.
In Grand Canyon Visions: Sacred Paths Through Storied Nature, I hope to musically convey the grandness, history, and legacy of the Grand Canyon. My title and music explores the duality of visions: that of the indigenous peoples of the area and how they value the Grand Canyon and the surrounding region as a sacred place integral to their way of life, vs. that of the Americanized modern vision, which appreciates the amazing natural wonder, but mostly, historically, has viewed it as solely a tourist destination. The solemnity of the first and last sections of Grand Canyon Visions reflect my sadness over threatened species of animals and plants, my grief over the mistreatment throughout history of indigenous peoples in the region, and simultaneously, honors the awe-inspiring and vast beauty of the Grand Canyon itself. The middle section of my piece contains references to both the sheer joy of experiencing the canyon and its unique wildlife, but also reflects the modern vision of the Grand Canyon as part of a lineage of the Wild West and tourism. The instruments of the piece often represent different animals of the Grand Canyon, such as a flute sometimes standing in for a bird, or a double bass sometimes evoking the solemn presence of a bear. The sounds, motion, and presence of many animals, including big horn sheep, mule deer, mountain lions, bison and more, appear in the music. The flowing and sometimes energetic sections that appear on and off throughout the piece feel representative to me of the Colorado River, the wind and fast-moving clouds, the soaring birds, and the swaying plants in the rhythm of life in the canyon. The climax of the piece, at O, represents the power of nature and the endurance of the Grand Canyon, while simultaneously mourning and warning of threats to the diminished survival of its wildlife and indigenous peoples and their way of life. The climax is followed by a mournful song without words. It includes the voices of the animals, but also seems as if the canyon itself is speaking. The piece ends with one final chord, with each instrument dropping off one-by-one, until the plaintive cry of one violin, like a soaring eagle in the air, remains, fading into the background as it flies away.
Pe ru C Th o sal p eo yr O n do ig ly h He re t in Ta vi
"The Havasupai are the guardians of the master altar- the canyon, and the canyon is a constant communicator to everyone who comes into it. Gway-miganavgé means 'It is telling you something' in Supai. This is the foremost statement of our tribe." -Uqualla, Havusupai religious practitioner, (Grand Canyon Conservancy)
"The Grand Canyon is very special to us. It's our genesis, and it's also our final spiritual home. The Hopi are taught that we traveled through four stages of life, which are still remembered vividly in our rituals, through songs, and clan traditions. The Hopi say we emerged from the Grand Canyon at a place called Sipapuni, which is the path to the underworld. " -Leigh Kuwanwisiwma, Hopi cultural leader, (Grand Canyon Trust)
The Grand Canyon Daybreak
What makes the lingering Night so cling to thee? Thou vast, profound, primeval hiding-place Of ancient secrets,—gray and ghostly gulf Cleft in the green of this high forest land, And crowded in the dark with giant forms! Art thou a grave, a prison, or a shrine? -Henry Van Dyke (
-
)
Dedicated to the Indigenous Nations of the Grand Canyon Region, Grand Canyon Conservancy, Grand Canyon Trust, and the Charles Ives Music Festival and the Western Connecticut Youth Orchestra, for whom it was written.
GRAND CANYON VISIONS Sacred Paths Through Storied Nature
With Grand Mourning = 60
Flute
Horn in F
Pe ru C Th o sal p eo yr O n do ig ly h He re t in Ta vi
Violin 1 Solo
A
THEODORE TAVI HEIN (2026)
Violin 2 Solo
Viola 1 Solo
Viola 2 Solo
Violoncello 1 Solo
Violoncello 2 Solo
Double Bass Solo
10
Fl.
Vln 1
Hn (F)
Vln 2
Vla 1
Vla 2
Vc. 2 D. B. Vc. 1
B
Copyright 2026 Theodore Tavi Hein, All Rights Reserved
2
Grand Canyon Visions by Theodore Tavi Hein
17
Fl.
Hn (F)
Vln 1
Pe ru C Th o sal p eo yr O n do ig ly h He re t in Ta vi
Vln 2
Vla 1
Vla 2
Vc. 2 D. B. Vc. 1
24
Fl.
Hn (F)
Vln 1 Vln 2
Vla 1
Vla 2
Vc. 1
Vc. 2
D. B.
= Lively: same tempo as previous
C
D
pizz. pizz.
Grand Canyon Visions by Theodore Tavi Hein
33
Fl.
Hn (F)
E
sotto voce
Pe ru C Th o sal p eo yr O n do ig ly h He re t in Ta vi
Vln 1
3
Vln 2
Vla 1
Vla 2
Vc. 1
Vc. 2
D. B.
37
Fl.
Hn (F)
Vln 1
Vln 2
Vla 1
Vla 2
Vc. 1
Vc. 2
D. B.
4
Grand Canyon Visions by Theodore Tavi Hein F
41
Fl.
Vln 1
espressivo open
Hn (F)
pizz.
pizz. pizz.
Vc. 2
D. B.
45
Fl.
Hn (F)
Vln 1
Vln 2
Vla 1
Vla 2
Vc. 1
pizz. D. B. Vc. 2
pizz.
arco
Vc. 1
espressivo
Vla 2
Vla 1
Vln 2
Pe ru C Th o sal p eo yr O n do ig ly h He re t in Ta vi
Grand Canyon Visions by Theodore Tavi Hein
G
49
Fl.
espressivo
Vln 1
Hn (F)
arco espressivo
arco
Pe ru C Th o sal p eo yr O n do ig ly h He re t in Ta vi
Vln 2
5
Vla 1
Vla 2
Vc. 1
Vc. 2 D. B.
Hn (F)
Vla 1
Vla 2
Vc. 1
Vc. 2
D. B.
H samemolto tempo as previous
same tempo as previous
= 40
molto
same tempo as previous
same tempo as previous molto
Vln 1 Vln 2
arco
arco
54
Fl.
sul tasto
molto same tempo as previous molto molto same tempo as previous
espressivo
6
Grand Canyon Visions by Theodore Tavi Hein
58
Fl.
Hn (F)
espressivo
ord.
Pe ru C Th o sal p eo yr O n do ig ly h He re t in Ta vi
Vln 1
Vln 2
Vla 1
Vla 2
pizz. Vc. 1 pizz. Vc. 2 pizz. D. B.
62
Fl.
Hn (F)
Vln 1 Vln 2
Vla 1
Vla 2
Vc. 1
sul tasto
I
arco
arco arco
Vc. 2 D. B.
ord.
Grand Canyon Visions by Theodore Tavi Hein
66
Fl.
Hn (F)
più
Vln 1
7
J
più Vla 1 più Vla 2 più Vc. 1 più Vc. 2 più D. B. più
Pe ru C Th o sal p eo yr O n do ig ly h He re t in Ta vi Vln 2
70
Fl.
Hn (F)
più
K
Vln 1 Vln 2 Vla 1 Vla 2 Vc. 1
D. B. Vc. 2
espressivo
sul tasto arco
8
Grand Canyon Visions by Theodore Tavi Hein
74
Fl.
Hn (F)
espressivo
Pe ru C Th o sal p eo yr O n do ig ly h He re t in Ta vi
Vln 1 Vln 2 Vla 1 Vla 2 Vc. 1
Vc. 2
D. B.
pizz.
78
Fl.
Hn (F)
Vln 1
Vln 2
Vla 1
Vla 2
Vc. 1
D. B.
L
ord.
pizz.
Vc. 2
arco
arco
arco
Grand Canyon Visions by Theodore Tavi Hein
82
Fl.
Hn (F)
Vln 1
Pe ru C Th o sal p eo yr O n do ig ly h He re t in Ta vi
Vln 2
9
Vla 1
Vla 2
Vc. 1
Vc. 2
D. B.
Fl.
Hn (F)
Vln 1 Vln 2
Vla 1
Vla 2
Vc. 1
Vc. 2
D. B.
sul G
sul G
M
85
10
Grand Canyon Visions by Theodore Tavi Hein
88
Fl.
Hn (F)
= same tempo as previous
espressivo
espressivo espressivo arco
Pe ru C Th o sal p eo yr O n do ig ly h He re t in Ta vi
Vln 1
N
Vln 2
Vla 1
Vla 2
Vc. 1
Vc. 2
D. B.
Fl. Hn (F) Vln 1 92
Vln 2
Vla 1
Vla 2
Vc. 1
Vc. 2
D. B.
arco
pizz.
Grand Canyon Visions by Theodore Tavi Hein a tempo
molto rit.
96
= = 40
O
Hn (F) loco Vln 1 Vln 2 Vla 1 Vla 2 Vc. 1 Vc. 2 arco D. B.
Pe ru C Th o sal p eo yr O n do ig ly h He re t in Ta vi
Fl.
11
101
Fl.
Vln 1 Vln 2
Hn (F)
Vla 1
Vla 2
Vc. 1
Vc. 2
D. B.
P
Q
12
Grand Canyon Visions by Theodore Tavi Hein
108
Fl.
Hn (F)
Vln 1
Vln 2
R
S
Vla 1
()
()*
espressivo
Pe ru C Th o sal p eo yr O n do ig ly h He re t in Ta vi
Vla 2 Vc. 1 Vc. 2 D. B.
espressivo
* The ( ) means that the double bass should remain at fff volume while the upper strings diminish to ppp. Only once the upper strings have died away at R does the double bass start to diminuendo gradually.
118
Fl.
Hn (F)
Vln 1 Vln 2
Vla 1
Vla 2
Vc. 1
Vc. 2
D. B.
sub.
T
Grand Canyon Visions by Theodore Tavi Hein
Fl.
Hn (F)
U
127
V
Meno Mosso = 50
con sord. pizz. arco Vln 1 con sord. Vln 2
13
Pe ru C Th o sal p eo yr O n do ig ly h He re t in Ta vi
Vla 1
Vla 2
Vc. 1
Vc. 2
D. B.
Hn (F)
Vln 1 Vln 2
Vla 1
Vla 2
Vc. 1
Vc. 2
D. B.
con sord.
W
Fl.
135
con sord. pizz.
con sord. pizz.
con sord.
con sord. pizz.
arco arco
X
arco
= 40