Terra Fungorum

Terra Fungorum (Latin for Land of Fungi) seeks to draw the listener into its realm—from the surface down to the ancestral and spiritual. A kind of sonic quest that narrates a tiny fragment of the fungal kingdom—a world yet to be discovered.

The piece begins with the development of a “fungal symphony”: a sonic exploration that aims to exemplify the diversity of these beings in their appearance and tangibility —from their colors and sizes to textures, smells, and even tastes. There are an estimated 2 to 4 million species of fungi, of which only 148,000 have been described by science.

Despite each fungus having its own distinct form, they share many similarities. The “fungal symphony” subtly foreshadows an ostinato that eventually unfolds and surfaces in the next section.

Gradually, this ostinato expands and grows, portraying the constant movement and development of these organisms. Fungi nourish, transform, and decompose —bringing life and change to everything around them; like troops of living beings that gather in the most unexpected corners of our planet and of our lives.

Now we dive into the earth. We follow a path underground, gliding through the mycorrhizae of these beings until we encounter a hidden network of connections. You could imagine the fungi themselves forming a vast underground tree; and in the dampest, darkest parts of the soil, an infinite world of hyphae interlaces with tree roots, communicating through a complex web of symbiosis and bursts of energy.

This hidden network is known as the wood wide web—soil fungi that connect vegetation through an intimate network that enables the sharing of massive amounts of information and resources.

At last, the piece begins to float toward the incorporeal— like a portal leading us to an awakening, connecting nature with consciousness, the universe, and ourselves. Awakened, we begin to truly live in a reality that has always been there: full of color, light, movement, and clarity.

Becoming more attuned to our surroundings, the world becomes an amalgam of sensations and emotions— one where we increasingly admire the simplicity and complexity of everything around us.

Fungi are part of the most misunderstood kingdom in the biological world, and also the most complex and deeply involved in the history of our planet and humanity. For thousands of years, they have served as a way to understand the world, to connect with the universe, and to grasp the vital balance between nature and those who inhabit the planet.

Today, fungi are at the forefront of scientific research, as they appear to be essential for the needs of our future and the sustainability of our planet.

“Nature alone is antique, and the oldest art a mushroom.”

—Thomas Carlyle
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This work was created under the auspices of UNAM through the Cátedra Extraordinaria "Arturo Márquez" de Composición Musical 2022.