Welcome to The Book of Rounds.

‍The Book of Rounds is not only an exquisite cycle of musical rounds, it is also a transformative journey of consciousness with lyrics that offer a new vocabulary of mantra - in English.

Conceived of by Julie Flanders, with lyrics by Flanders and music by Emil Adler, each round is a fugue of positive messages created to invoke a feeling of well-being in those that listen to, sing or speak them. The music lifts the words beyond their ordinary meanings into an enveloping experience that is poetic and universal.

ON THE MUSIC

A round is a melody that harmonizes itself as it repeats, with voices entering at measured intervals and cascading over each other to create a kaleidoscope of meaning and beauty. Through the repetition that defines it, a round can have a profound contemplative effect.

The Book of Rounds offers many programming and sequencing possibilities to create a dramatic and a meditative arc that will move the listener through what is ultimate a relaxing, energizing and integrated experience.
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ON THE WORDS

Using simple, prayer-like language, the rounds are essentially positive mantras that cascade, circle and relate in the same way the melodies do. The words create layers of affirmation that envelope the participant and offer a compelling journey of transformation and self-reflection. With every repetition, each lyric begins to acquire different shades of meaning, shifting the mind and the heart of the listener.

Julie Flanders, whose deeply influential work in the expressive arts is complemented by her profound work as a healer and spiritual teacher, describes this as one of her most personal projects. The Book of Rounds was originally written for her son as an embrace of protection and comfort during difficult times. When it was finished, Flanders realized that “it was something everyone needed—we all need to receive that kind of love, and we all need to give it.”

Whether listening to the original, more intimate listening experience of the A Cappella recording, or immersing yourself in the aural grandeur of the Choral Edition, The Book of Rounds is a one hour piece that feels very personal, with messages of hope, comfort, belonging and healing that resonate today with more urgency than ever before.