Mother Of War for full orchestra by kirstenbroberg

Mother of War is an orchestral suite of themes I composed in a cinematic style in reaction to events in the life of the Brazilian horsewoman Anita Garibaldi (1821-1849). Anita fought in battle alongside her husband, Guiseppe Garibaldi, in Imbituba, Laguna, against Austrian Empire and in Italy to defend Rome against the French. She eventually fell sick with malaria and died, pregnant, in her husband’s arms when she was only 27 years old. The events of her life are reflected in the piece which includes battle music with driving rhythmic ostinati accompanied by a soaring melodic line in the brass, a bold segment with the strength of brass and percussion, a pastoral melody in the strings and woodwinds and a section with somber music in the suspended strings. Although Anita passed away so young and tragically, she triumphed in both battle and in life; thus the piece ends brightly to celebrate her revolutionary spirit.

--Kirsten Soriano Broberg, 2013