As a composer, it is not every day that one gets to take inspiration from sources as rich and unique as historical grimoires and spell books. My interest in these texts emerged from the dark days of the pandemic, wishing I could tap into forgotten magic of the ancient past.

Book of Spells is a sixteen-minute brass quintet inspired by the syllabic and phoneme arrangements found within such grimoires as The Magus by Francis Barrett, the anonymously written Black Pullet and The Lesser Key of Solomon, and the Icelandic Galdrabók. Each movement draws from spells related to its individual title. The mysticism and rhythm inherent in these ancient works provide an intriguing palette for the composition, which guides the structure of this six-movement suite.

The movements are I. Invocation—, II. Prosperity, III. Protection, IV. Healing, V. Hex, and VI. Counterspell (after Caresana). The final movement is a heartfelt tribute to the memory of my father. It integrates a lullaby for a grandfather by seventeenth-century Neapolitan composer Christofaro Caresana from his collection of songs, La Veglia.

The movements in this suite do not exist in isolation. Instead, they connect to form a cohesive narrative—one in which I was hoping to tap into this ancient and practically lost wisdom. I invite listeners to engage deeply and discover their own interpretations. However, the piece was written during and after my father’s final struggles with progressive supranuclear palsy, a neurodegenerative disease similar to Parkinson’s, and is dedicated to his memory.

Book of Spells was written for the Atlantic Brass Quintet in 2023. Their artistry and collaborative spirit lifted this piece to become something greater and more effective than I alone could have achieved.

—SC