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Program Notes:

Strange Dreams is a bit of a strange piece. Although the composition date is 2006, the first movement is an orchestral arrangement of my large chamber piece Synchromesh Synergy, which I wrote in 2001. The movements Chiaroscuro and Hypnogogia both take from my work Celestial Sketchbook, a piece for string quartet that I wrote in 1998. Synchromesh and Chiaroscuro were both arranged for orchestra in 2002, and Hypnogogia in 2004. Of the four movements, only Rude Awakening was started and completed in 2006 (the month of February, to be exact...)

I had always wanted to write an orchestral work comprised of several short movements, and Strange Dreams is an attempt at doing this. Unfortunately, the long expanse of time betweeen when I started the work and when I ultimately got around to finishing it made it extremely difficult to come back to. As a consequence, Rude Awakening inhabits a somewhat different sound world than the other movements, although I think that in the overall context of the piece it still manages to work.

Regarding each movement, here are some additional notes:

syn·chro·mesh
n.
1. An automotive gear-shifting system in which the gears are synchronized at the same speeds before engaging to effect a smooth shift.
2. A gear in such a system

chi·a·ro·scu·ro
n. In all senses also called claire-obscure.
1. The technique of using light and shade in pictorial representation.
2. The arrangement of light and dark elements in a pictorial work of art.
3. A woodcut technique in which several blocks are used to print different shades of a color.
4. A woodcut print made by this technique.

 rude a·wak·en·ing
n.
1. Sometimes when having a strange dream, one is awakened by lawnmowers, workmen pounding on things, automotive horns, people screaming, and other unpleasant things. At this point, you can choose to face reality or go back to sleep.

hyp·no·gog·i·a
n.
1. The state of intermediate consciousness preceding sleep- when one is most likely to encounter hypnagogic hallucinations.

Chronological Work List

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