[train.rain.loops]

Commissioned by essens:1
Duration: 13 minutes

Performed by essens:1, Ian Peaston, electric violin and Per Johansson, electric clarinet.
Recorded rehearsal from 2013.
 

The absolutely brilliant electric duo "essens:1" commissioned this piece from me.
I was like a child in a toy store with this one, asking them strange questions every week, typically something like: "is it possible play a huge arpeggiated and then sustained chord, and, on top of that, play a seven-part canon with yourself, in different keys and different dynamics?", and every single question was eventually answered with "yes, it's possible!".
Little did I know of the amount of work required of the musicians to program the software attached to the instruments, or the intricate footwork necessary to master the pedals while playing...

Anyway, it turned out that it wasn't just possible, they even gave this electric tour-de-force more brilliance and atmosphere than I ever dreamt of.

The piece is divided into three sections, depicting train, then rain and finally finishing off with a looped "hit-song", where the musicians actually leave the stage after putting all the live loops together, letting the music go on without them, as long as they want.

Happily, the duo seems to enjoy the piece, since they already have performed it roughly thirty times since 2012.