Depart, Depart from Solid Earth - Marimba, Cello, Soprano Sax, and Bari Sax

The title, Depart, depart from solid earth, is a line from Walt Whitman's poem "Sail Out For Good." The line promises motion, a journey through water or air, closely matching the images that the piece evokes for me. While the marimba maintains a steady underlying pulse, providing a continuous sense of movement, the cello and saxophones exchange lyrical lines that weave through the time-feel and texture, creating a soaring sensation of soundwaves. Although the piece travels through several different musical scenes, it ends up somewhere similar to where it began. It is as if the once anticipated urge for departure brought the listener right back home, though now he sees home in a way he could never have expected.