SYMPHONY: ‘TRANSMUTATION’

  • for full orchestra

    • Version 1 (triple winds): 3(2=afl.3=picc).3(3=corA).3(3=bcl).2.cbsn--4.3.3.1--timp.perc(3)--pno--hrp--strings

    • Version 2 (double winds): 2(2=picc.afl).2(2=corA).2(2=bcl).2(2=cbsn)--4.3.3.1--timp.perc(3)--pno--hrp--strings

      • Percussion: marimba/vib/4tom-t/water gong/2high.wdbl/3 pairs sandpaper blocks/tamb/2 pairs rute/vibraslap/glsp/BD/3susp.cym/bongos/tgl/piccoclo.wdbl/flexible mallet on a rimless drumhead (conga)/large.gong (C#2 or 3)/xyl/crot/t-bells/tam-t/tpl.bl/SD/cyms/slapstick

  • Completed: 2025

  • 25 minutes

PROGRAM NOTE

Though lost to antiquity, the goal of Hermetic, occult science known as alchemy has long been recognized at least since the late Pagan era in Alexandria: the philosopher’s stone. This substance—somehow everywhere and nowhere, a “stone that is not a stone”—was believed to have remarkable powers. Stories claim it could, famously, transmute lead into gold, heal disease, transform stones into gems, and even reverse aging. Some tales speak of fields suddenly flourishing with life, or of a version so subtle it could only be detected by taste—one that would grant conversation with angels. These accounts are as intriguing as they are contradictory, cloaked in mystery, allegory, and cryptic code.

Along with many others, I have long been fascinated by these legends. Though I do not believe such a miraculous stone could actually exist, what captivates me instead is the idea of transformation: that we can elevate everyday materials—our experiences—into something truly profound. Like those medieval alchemists, we yearn to renew and discover, forging meaning in a world that continually invites us to reinvent ourselves.

Cover image of the full score

Symphony: 'Transmutation' is a 25-minute work structured in three continuous movements—Nigredo, Albedo, and Rubedo—each reflecting a distinct stage in the alchemical process. These movements suggest a metaphorical arc: from existential desolation through purification, to a hard-won clarity and fullness.

The opening movement, “Nigredo,” evokes the darkening and dissolution alchemists believed necessary before true purification could begin. As in the ancient texts, this stage is raw and unsettling—a letting go of old forms in preparation for what follows.

“Albedo” then arrives as a whitening, a turn toward searing heat and sonorities suggesting renewed possibilities. It embodies deep cleansing and revelation found in the heart of both physical and spiritual transformations.
Finally, “Rubedo” completes the journey by capturing the culmination of alchemy. For the old masters, this was the elusive red stage where one might behold the philosopher’s stone in its fullest potency. Here, I hope to convey a sense of renewed vigor, of integration and transcendence—whether literal or symbolic—where all contradictions melt into a new, yet familiar, radiance.

For me, these movements form a meditation on how we continually search for ways to shape and refine the raw elements of our lives. We may not find gold at the end of our labors, but we can discover unexpected grace and purpose, gleaning wisdom through the simple, age-old act of transforming what we are given into something greater. This symphony, at its core, seeks to honor that universal alchemical spark, knowing that although the mythic stone itself may remain forever elusive, the spirit of transmutation may continue to burn brightly within us.

-Stephen Cabell