“For many, the most symbolic aspect of a mountain is the peak because it is believed that it is closest to heaven or other religious worlds”   This painting by Nicolas Roerich was the starting point for this month’s composer’s choice. Its called Vanishing Ice and if you google search his images you will find a huge list of paintings by this enigmatic artist. Roerich is a complex character being an adventurer, a spiritualist, a writer, an archaeologist and painter. He moved in high political circles in the  USA, UK and India and was connected to the theosophical movement and produced a vast amount of magnificent oil paintings in the field , travelling extensively through the Himalayas, India and the rest of the world. He spoke many languages and wrote a book called Shambhala ( not to mention the set designs for Dhiagelev, the setting up of art and yoga schools in New York and perhaps a spot of spying…) Shambhala is a mythical kingdom from Tibetan and Hindu Tradition – mythical in italics because in the modern sense the word implies not real ~ Shambhala points to many cultures’ stories of a place where enlightened humans have created aShambhala – by Stephen Fearnley