The Long White Limousine

This ensemble is designed for a group of players at a variety of levels. The Marimba 2 part is much simpler rhythmically than the other parts. The Marimba 1 and the Xylophone parts, on the other hand, have many passages of sixteenth notes that call for dexterity and precision. The vibraphone part is less rhythmically complex but requires some sustain pedal work. All players use two mallets each. The text inserted into the parts can be merely suggestive of the "mood" of each musical scene. Alternately, a narrator can be used to provide the audience with a more programmatic experience. The narration begins before the music and continues as indicated in the score. The Long White Limousine was inspired by a commute I happened to share one morning on the way to a professional conference. To my surprise, pulling up at the train station was an elegant limousine in place of a taxi. Already inside were a family and their precious four-year old daughter. With a mane of curly black hair and a very dark eyes in a heart-shaped face, this little one began a conversation that lasted the entire length of the twenty-minute trip. In solemn tones, she related to me the details of the family’s visit the day before to Legoland, souvenirs of which she was delicately cradling in her arms. She proudly showed me her two new plastic horses, telling me their names and discussing their interesting colors. As she transitioned to other topics, I couldn’t help filling with gratitude for serendipitous moments like this one—a chance encounter with a beautiful little girl and her lucky family. Upon reaching our destination and disembarking the limousine, the girl grasped me around the knees as a farewell gesture before she and her family set out. The encounter worked its magic on me.