Departure

Departure: an act of leaving, especially to start a journey. This work is a continuation of an earlier work, Wanderlust, for horn, tuba, and piano. Departure starts with an exciting, bouncy rhythm that works its way throughout the whole piece. Nervous energy skips around the ensemble; a fragmented melody is passed through each member of the group as excitement for the trip grows. Then,  a period of rest as if sleeping the night before the trip. Although the music calms, it is a manipulation of the opening thematic material. A constant pulse is heard in the percussion like the second hand of a clock, ticking in anticipation. Finally the moment of departure arrives when our feet hit the dirt, the wheels lift off the ground, or the train leaves the station.