Dreams
Timothy J. Brown
About this work:
Dreams is a work for mezzo-soprano and orchestra. The text utilized is by Olive Schreiner, a turn of the century South African women’s suffragist. A white woman, Schreiner resigned from a women’s suffrage organization which would not allow black women to join. Dreams comprises a single movement, but has sections within it reflecting each of the three dreams the narrator has in the African desert. Special use of layering as a musical technique is utilized, sometimes involving the simultaneous use of two harmonies. A large percussion section is required, and polyrhythms show the arrival of the people in a time after the narrator’s time, each arriving at her or his own pace. In this section, rhythms reminiscent of native African drums are incorporated. Also included in Dreams is a musical quotation from March of the Women by Ethel Smythe, in which the soloists sings with her prerecorded self. A section of pitch indeterminacy is for the singer. Other techniques include pandiatonicism and the closing section uses a pentatonic scale, fading away in orchestration to end with Violin I. This work is awaiting a singer and ensemble to commit to its première. It is available on rental from the composer.
Year composed: 2001
Duration: 00:45:00
Ensemble type: Orchestra:Orchestra with Soloist(s)
Instrumentation: 1 Piccolo, 1 Flute, 2 Oboe, 1 English Horn, 2 Clarinet, 1 Alto Clarinet, 1 Bass Clarinet, 2 Bassoon, 1 Contrabassoon, 1 Horn in F, 2 Trumpet, 2 Trombone, 1 Tuba, 1 Timpani, 3 Percussion (General), 1 Marimba, 1 Piano, 1 Strings (General), 1 Harp, ,1 Mezzo-Soprano soloist(s), 1 Prerecorded Sound (Tape/CD/Other), 2 Synthesizer
Instrumentation notes: Mezzo-soprano soloist. The MIDI synthesizer parts can be played by two of the percussionists.