White River
Love of the Beast
Aik Wee
White River is a tone poem in four movements. It is the story of three villagers who go in search of a black rock that has blocked the path of their river, the sole water source of their village. Leaving their wives behind, they climb up a green mountain following the dry river. When they finally found the black rock it was too heavy to move. The villagers tried to break the rock, it cracked, but still refused to move. They wanted to give up, but they remembered the ones they love, who need water in the village. The moment they remembered their loved ones, the black rock broke open and a beast came from within. The three men feared the beast would devour them and bravely fought it. The beast dies. From its wounds, blood of pure white ran and flowed into the river. The white river now runs, providing the villagers with the life-giving water and another chance at life.