Morpheus (2001) for percussion quartet

Morpheus, the God of Dreams, gave us the ability to daydream, to fantasize, to wish, to imagine, and when we sleep, to dream.  We have dreams that are sweet, peculiar, nonsensical, confusing, silly, erotic, and horrific.  When awake, we are confronted with stimuli that usually require a rational response of some sort, whereas when asleep, our subconscious seems to run free, allowing our minds to experience a fleeting thought that one had the same day, a memory of 20 some years ago, a combination of these or something that our minds invent.  Until are suspense of disbelief is exhausted or we roll over, these events are experienced as if they were real, causing our general state of mind to be altered or stimulated in some way, evoking real reactions and real emotional responses.  
 
In this work for four percussionists I offer the listener the opportunity to reside in a number of musical places where scenarios are played out, scenes are depicted, and events take place that suggest the likes of a dreamscape.  The way in which to engage this work is up to you and your imagination, your recalling of dreams experienced once or those that recur, or your desire to create something anew.  The performance this evening is special in particular because the very idea of composing for this ensemble was merely a pipe dream.  Thus I have dedicated this work to my friends, the members of Red Fish Blue Fish for realizing my dream.