Sueños y canciones
(Dreams and Songs) 

Program Notes

Sueños y canciones (Dreams and Songs) is one of many works that demonstrate my love of Latin American music.  It was commissioned by the Mexico City ensemble Signos, as part of a recording project entitled Espejos (Mirrors):  three composers from Mexico and three from the United States were commissioned to write 10-minute pieces, each of which was to reflect the opposite culture.  In order to pay homage to Mexico, as well as to be able to write in my own language, I decided to compose three pairs of pieces: a “dream” using free musical language followed by a “song” which, in my own way, alludes to something I discovered in listening to Mexican folk music. Sueño de sombras (The dream of shadows) is a dream of darkness and shadows and is followed by Canción ardiente (A song of passion), a song in the manner of the fast love songs I heard, all of which are very passionate and earnest. Sueño de susurros a solas (The dream of whispers while alone) is a dream about the kinds of voices one hears when faced with loneliness; it is followed by Canción triste (A song of sorrow), a song full of the deep sorrow and longing that I heard in many Mexican ballads. Sueño de luces (The dream of lights) is followed by Canción fuera de quicio (A song out of balance) a song full of irregular and quickly-changing meters.  Sueños y canciones was released on compact disc by Signos in early 2003.