Driving in the Air

Trumpet, bassoon, Tenor Sax

2012

Driving in the Air brings together an odd combination of musical elements (and instruments!) to paint a picture of flying cars on a busy airborne highway made of light. The opening undulating gesture on one pitch represents the throbbing, humming energy of the glowing highway as the car gathers speed for lift-off. The addictive rhythms and melodic figures in this fun piece evoke the frenzied nerves of high-speed traffic mixed with the euphoric freedom of flight.

For trumpet, tenor sax, and bassoon.

Performance by Eclipse Wind Trio at the Ravinia Festival as part of the 2012 Fresh Inc Festival. 

Cover art by James Hohenstein. 

For Performers:

Bassoon and sax: during your opening pulsing figures, experiment with your embouchure, perhaps trying a looser, dropped jaw, to let more overtones into the sound, like you are on the brink of breaking into a multiphonic. You are imitating an imaginary buzzing energy field. Imagine “force field” or “high voltage” sound effects used in movies and games — I have linked some examples below.