Train Ride

Programme Note
The line between a dream and a day-dream is blurred as this composition reflects on the experience of living in a big city and spending much of one’s life on the train, as well as the experience of nonsensical dreams where one disparate episode leads to the next.
Much like an absurd dream, Train Ride weaves its way through a game of musical (and some extra-musical) associations. Each ‘stop’ reveals something new – the phrase ‘Train Ride’ turns into consonants ‘t’ and ‘r’, which then morph into ‘d’ and ‘r’, which morph into (Jacques) Derrida. The next ‘stop’ subsequently reveals a dance of tango, then a vocalisation on da-ri-da (a play on Dada and Derrida), followed by the choir telling their dreams over a refrain, before the return of the opening idea, and a final (paraphrased) citation about dreams from the philosopher Zhuangzi:
Am I am man dreaming that I am a butterfly? Or a butterfly dreaming that I am a man?
A binding element is the idea of being on the train, however it is not a lucid experience, but rather possessing a quality of dream-like vagueness.
The choir and/or audience are invited to take part in this composition by sharing their nonsensical dreams, which are read out by the choir towards the end. The idea is not to hear these dreams individually, but to create a sonic effect of a busy mind/dream.


Performance Notes

Bars 117-124: repeat this section until everyone has had a chance to join in. The dynamics of the soloists should stay mid-range (between p and mp), but within this mid-range the soloists should feel free to have dynamic freedom, and avoid singing at the same tone throughout.
Here is a suggestion: 1st repeat p, 2nd repeat: cresc and dim, 3rd repeat: mp dim. to p, the rest of the repeats p; but this can be adjusted depending on the length of the spoken improvisation.
Please note there are two separate lines for the alto solo 2 at bars 117-124, which are for the same singer at the 2nd and 3rd repeats, respectively (if repeats are applicable).




Text

Train ride, train ride, etc.

I had a dream where I got on a train
I took with me my active brain,

Train ride, choo choo, etc.

Come and join me on this train ride,
Let’s see what the next stop will hide!

Next stop is happiness,
Next stop is anxiety,
Next stop is excitement,
Next stop is levity.

Tango, dance your troubles away.

Train ride, train ride, etc.

‘Am I a man dreaming that I am a butterfly?
Or am dreaming that I am a man?’

Train ride, train ride, etc.



The text is by the composer. The last stanza is a paraphrase of the famous citation by the philosopher Zhuangzi.



Duration: approx.. 4 mins.