The Mother of The Sea

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Description +
- Hendrix is deeply fascinated by nature — its complexity, its beauty, and the way harmony shapes the world around us. Greenlandic stories often center on this balance. When humans fail to respect nature, imbalance follows.
  
  Many tales feature a shaman, an Anagoq, who can enter the spirit world through drumming and ritual. Guided by helper spirits, the Anagoq seeks out nature’s guardians — the Moon Man or The Mother of the Sea — whenever sickness or hardship strikes. These spirits rule over nature and turn against humans when they become displeased. The Anagoq’s role is to restore harmony.
  
  One myth tells of a family suffering from long periods of poor fishing. Their Anagoq travelled to the bottom of the sea to meet The Mother of the Sea. A giant wolf guarded her home, but the Anagoq slipped inside. She was furious, until a helper spirit whispered that he should comb her tangled hair. Though she resisted, she eventually allowed it — and her anger faded.
  
  The myth teaches that human greed pollutes nature. When the Mother of the Sea is displeased, she holds the animals back. When harmony is restored, she releases them again, reminding humans to take only what they need. Balance returns when humans and nature cooperate.
  
  Note:
  The pala shaker is a percussion instrument consisting of a hollow gourd filled with seeds or small pebbles. When shaken, the pala shaker creates a gentle, rustling sound that resembles the sound of water flowing or leaves rustling in the wind.
  
  Waterfall percussion, on the other hand, is a percussion technique that involves striking a series of drums or other percussion instruments in rapid succession, creating a rolling sound that imitates the sound of a waterfall. This technique is often used in tribal music and other forms of world music.
  
  When used together, the pala shaker and waterfall percussion can create a complex and layered sound that evokes the feeling of being near a rushing river or waterfall. Hang them both closely together and use your hands to roll them together to create a sound effect that emulates the sound of water.
  DriX
Instrumentation +
- Marimba
  Pala shaker
  Rainstick
Watch+
- Add ‘The Mother of The Sea’ to your personal playlist on Spotify
About the composer +
- Hendrix was born on March 30, 1992 in Illorsuit, Greenland, and moved to Denmark in 2001. He has played the drums since early childhood, and from the very first encounter with music he was captivated not only by sound itself, but by music’s ability to communicate and describe without words.
  
  Hendrix graduated from Holstebro MGK and holds a Bachelor’s degree in Classical Percussion. He studied at The Royal Danish Academy of Music in Aarhus and at SDMK – the Danish National Academy of Music in Odense. During his studies, he was mentored by Søren Monrad, Johan Bridger, Anders Lynghøj, among others, and was deeply inspired by both teachers and fellow students.
  
  As a performer, Hendrix has worked as a freelance percussionist with symphony orchestras across Denmark, including engagements in Aarhus, Aalborg, Sønderjylland and at Det Kongelige Kapel. Alongside his work as a performer, he is an active composer with a strong focus on original solo and chamber works for percussion. He is also involved in several bands and cross-genre projects.
Reviews +
- Review (Percussive Notes, April 2025)
  
  At the risk of invoking an overused expression, Greenlandic composer Hendrik Holm provides a welcome breath of fresh air with his marimba solo “The Mother of The Sea.” The 7½-minute piece is Holm’s musical depiction of a Greenlandic myth of the same name, revolving around a family’s dealings with the local Anagoq, or shaman, and his quest to aid them, which puts him into conflict with the Mother of the Sea. The piece’s portrayal of the tale is full of color, harmonic and otherwise, and will immediately distinguish itself from much of the repertoire through its unique narrative as well as its unusual tonal palette that does, indeed, give the impression of Nordic roots.
  
  The musical material is remarkably varied, and its moments of greatest activity will require an accomplished technician. However, ample textural contrasts glide over the audience as the story unfolds, ranging from frantic to funereal. There is a sonically climactic moment when the performer improvises with a pala shaker and waterfall rattle (although substitutions could easily be made with a rain stick, ocean drum, etc.), but in my opinion the most rewarding material begins in the following section, wherein the composer presents a Greenlandic folk melody in manner that is both sincere and technically captivating.
  
  This is one of the most refreshingly unique marimba solos I have heard in a long time, and I would happily recommend it to any professional (or aspiring professional) marimbist. The challenge is significant, but the reward is well worth the effort
  
  —Brian Graiser
Credits +
- Painting: Hendrix Holm
  Front Cover Graphics: Nicola Lee
  Photo: Kim Frost
  Printed in Copenhagen, Denmark
  Copyright © Edition SVITZER
  www.editionsvitzer.com

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