“Comparing Dreams” (January 2012) was written expressly for oboist Sarah Davol and percussionist Peter Jarvis whose work as state-of-the-art instrumentalists I have enjoyed many times over the years. They are deservedly well respected in chamber music and new music circles and have been particularly encouraging to me as a composer and as an improviser. In fact, “Comparing Dreams” is informed by the improvising I’ve done in duo settings over the past 25-30 years. I’ve learned so much from duos with musicians like Connie Crothers, Joëlle Léandre, Anthony Braxton, John Zorn and John Lindberg, amongst others. The discoveries I’ve made about sound, extreme tempo changes, melodic interaction and the almost dramatic personal interaction, all come into play in this totally notated composition.

As with many of my compositions, the titles can always be interpreted different ways. Without going into a big discussion of dreams – the piece could be thought of as a morning conversation of the previous night’s dreams: some times the oboe taking the lead, sometimes the percussion: sometimes the interaction between the two instruments is harmonious at other times there’s an emotional counterpoint. However, dreams can be “bigger” – like the collective dreams of peace, justice and an end to grinding poverty. The entire planet is comparing dreams. From a “nuts & bolts” perspective, the tempos change frequently and the extreme ranges of both the vibraphone and oboe are utilized. The bowed vibraphone notes (starting at measure 251 – C#, B, E) are not just a “special effect”; they are part of my personal improvising language as is the sort of stand-up drum set concept of the non-pitched percussion instruments.

“Comparing Dreams” is part of a series of duo compositions that I started about 10 years ago. “Etron Minor” (for violin & conga or flute & conga), “Endless Rain” (for viola & piano), “The Pilgrim Variations” (for clarinet & violin), “The Illusion of Progress (for percussion & bass clarinet), to mention a few, all fall into the greater chamber music tradition except that they were composed by a someone who has spent almost three generations as a performing improviser. The basic idea behind these pieces was to bring an organic flow and unique sounds to concert music and concert musicians who are inspired by improvised music.

This composition is dedicated to the memory of Marguerite W. Davol (1928-2012) prolific writer of children's books.
--Kevin Norton