locomotive reverie

horn, tuba, MaxMSP$20.00 CAD

Program Notes

“locomotive reverie” stemmed from hearing the trains in Siknikt (Sackville, NB) while walking late at night. When there’s a train in the distance, the sound washes over the sky like a cloud passing by. As the train grows near, the horn becomes more clear, and as it distances from you, the chord depresses slightly. It has always felt a bit surreal to me. This work hones in on the dream state that I imagine as I walk home—where was the train coming from, where is it going, what does it carry, what does it matter. The music drops the listener into a contemplative trance, as if slowing down time until the end, when the train has passed.

Technical Requirements

This piece only requires stereo speakers and either a Mac or PC to play through. When purchased, the piece includes apps made through MaxMSP, one version for Mac and one version for PC, as well as the performance score.

Premiered by Jeffrey Vézina-Goodwin, Hope Salmonson and Olivier Huebscher, April 10 2021, Brunton Auditorium, Mount Allison University.

Video: DeAunn Davis and Adam Snider, March 2 2023, Metropolitan State University of Denver.