Hurry Up and Wait

We often rush from place to place, only to find ourselves having to wait once we’ve arrived at our destination. The humorous phrase “hurry up and wait” describes this paradoxical situation, and is an apt metaphor for this piece. The music opens with rapidly descending and brightly orchestrated gestures that alternate with moments of stasis. A contrasting middle section presents an awkwardly swaying tune, which is then developed in combination with the original material. As the opening music returns in the final moments of the piece, we are reminded that we will never learn to take our time.