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Yearnings of a Middle-Aged Composer About to be Drowned was written specifically for the San Francisco Composers Chamber Orchestra, and was performed on October 14, 2006 at Old First Church. Here are some photos and recordings from the concert, as well as the music itself, for those who are interested... I am indebted to Jim Henriques who drove up from southern California to play laptop synthesizer for the concert!
Also many thanks to Joyce who was able to discreetly take some good photos without flash. (Click on thumbnails for larger images.)
In this piece, the chamber orchestra is augmented by two synthesizers. These are not pre-recorded tracks; in contrast to synthesizers of the twentieth century, computer processing is now sufficiently fast to enable live performance of very complex synthetic algorithms. This frees the conductor to choose tempos traditionally, eliminating the need for pre-recorded tracks. One of these parts ("dark bells") plays continuously between the first and second movements.
PROGRAM NOTE: Here is how it will happen. Walking on Ocean Beach, forgetting himself and looking away from the surf, he hears the roar. As he turns to look at the waves he realizes he is about to be swept away. In these final moments he only has time for a few thoughts, and they come suddenly, rushing at him like the dark water: he wishes that he had been courted, at least once in his life; he thinks of those who have wronged him, however subtly, and longs for revenge; and he yearns for something more than how he's lived (although he really doesn't know what that would be). Finally, his face pushes into the cold sea...
Below are MIDI reference recordings of each of the three movements, as well as scores and parts. Details of instrumentation, including all percussion, are described here. Details regarding each of the synthesizer parts, including descriptions of patches, are included in these Technical Notes. The Absynth "glo" file is here (for laptop synth part); also required is the special sample for the second movement.
I. To Be Courted (~6min) 
(both mvmt one and two)
Flute/Piccolo Flute/Alto Flute Oboe/C.A. Clarinet Bass Clarinet Bassoon Contrabassoon Horn Trumpet Trombone Timpani Perc #1 Perc #2 Piano Violin I Violin II Viola Cello Double Bass Fantom Laptop
II. Revenge (~4min)
Flute/Piccolo Flute/Alto Flute Oboe/C.A. Clarinet Bass Clarinet Bassoon Contrabassoon Horn Trumpet Trombone Timpani Perc #1 Perc #2 Piano Violin I Violin II Viola Cello Double Bass Fantom Laptop
III. Something More (~4min)
Flute/Piccolo Flute/Alto Flute Oboe/C.A. Clarinet Bass Clarinet Bassoon Contrabassoon Horn Trumpet Trombone Timpani Perc #1 Perc #2 Piano Violin I Violin II Viola Cello Double Bass Fantom Laptop