This piece began as a collaboration between the poet, Tim Lane and composer, Phillip Sink. The poems were written in honor of Tim’s twentieth wedding anniversary.

 

The first song, “When We Were Young” reminiscences on the how humans interacted (and dated) before the internet. To illustrate the forward motion of time, I chose to write a highly rhythmic passacaglia. The harmonic cycle represents time passing and occasional moments of rest (i.e. “the clouds stand still”). To represent the human aspect of the poem, I developed a highly interactive fabric among the players.

 

The second song “We Shifted” represents the early part of Tim’s relationship to his wife. For this song, I removed the sense of pulse so that the form takes the shape of a cloud. Players must read from the score and communicate with each other throughout.

 

The third song, “Cloud Breath,” represents Tim’s marriage in present day. The song start out with an interlude, reflecting back on moments in “When We Were Young.” Through a series of tempo modulation, time is stretched, representing the return to the present. Scale motives represents breathing.