Origin
And God said, "Let there be light," and there was light.— Genesis 1:3
"Origin" is an imaginative representation of the creation of the universe. Beginning with the breath of God speaking the universe into existence, the first few minutes are characterized by superheated subatomic particles moving very rapidly and colliding with one another. As the universe expands and cools, the piece undergoes a series of timbral and rhythmic transformations. When the second theme enters (1:25), it is set against the first theme, now enlongated; as this continues, each time a theme enters or re-enters, it is set against one or more previous themes, which get progressively drawn out. About two-thirds of the way through the piece, the perspective shifts (5:09) as we zoom in to get a closer view of things. The first theme re-enters, and we begin to witness the dramatic formation of stars, nova and supernova. Finally, with the last transformation, the perspective shifts again (7:03), and we take the view of a single human standing upon the earth, looking up in wonder at the twinkling stars in the night sky.
