Composition

Notes

Spare Parts for a Dream Machine reflects a dream-reality where the parts do not necessarily relate to the whole in obvious ways. Musical material suddenly shifts, moving from arco (bowed) textures to pizzicato, or from high register harmonics to lower sounds, sometimes coming together on an unexpected passage where the players are united in where they are going. Although certain harmonies return throughout the piece, there is no regularity in their doing so. Just as the piece seems to settle on unison music that both players agree upon, a repeated chord grows out of sync with itself, creating an ending that is slightly off-kilter. I reflected on how my own dreams have a flow, albeit one distinct from waking reality, and tried to catch snatches of them in this piece. Perhaps you can use some
of these spare parts in your own dreams. If so, please help yourself.
Spare Parts for a Dream Machine is dedicated, with great affection, to Tom and Cindy, my partners in the art of acoustic spell-making.