Allusions, Illusions, & Delusions

Allusions, Illusions, and Delusions
 
An indirect reference to being deceived by a false perception and false belief in spite of invalidating evidence. 
An allusion is used as a literary device that stimulates ideas, associations, and other information in the listener's mind. An illusion is a visual trick, in this case, a sonic or auditory trick.  A delusion is a belief in something despite the fact that it is untrue.  
This piece has references to different styles and composers that I love.  In this piece, you will hear allusions to Strauss, Bach, Debussy, Copeland, Rimsky-Korsakov, and Satie. 
The piece begins in a loud clamorous introduction dissipating into a soft warm blanket setting the mood for a lyrical Flugelhorn solo.  The expressive solo is then restated by the full orchestra.  After the orchestra explores this melody, it is deconstructed and echoed in the English horn as if hearing it in memory. 
Following a dissonant crescendo, the piece takes off.  Truncated and spliced pieces of the flugelhorn solo are passed around throughout the orchestra culminating in a very chaotic bombastic climax.  Echoes of the flugelhorn melody are brought back in solo strings and finally in the trumpet near the end, however this time, the melody has been affected by all that has happened to it before.  It is heard in the trumpet, then in the low strings before it dies away. 

This piece was my doctoral dissertation from Rice University, in Houston, TX.
 

3/13/2014
Rice University, Shepherd School Symphony Orchestra
Thomas Hong, Conductor

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