The Hum

Dur. approximately 5 min
 
PROGRAM NOTE
This piece was inspired by a strange psychoacoustic phenomenon known as The Hum. First reported in the late 70s, people across the world have complained of hearing a strange, subterranean rumble- a sort of "hum" that not only can't be heard by most people, but can't actually be captured on any recording devices. The mysterious Hum tends to be reported in cities. This immediately made me think of "The City Born Great," a short sci-fi story by acclaimed author N.K. Jemisin. In the story, a young homeless man is annointed the avatar of NewYork City. As the city struggles to be born as a conscious entity, the young man must protect it from an ancient Cthulhu-like evil. With only the sounds and energy of the city as his weapons, he battles the enemy for the soul of NewYork. As an instrument both capable of low rumbles and intimately tied to the history of NewYork's music scene, the trombone seemed to an ideal choice to embody this piece. The piece begins with that rumbling hum, signifying the awakening of the city's consciousness. It then follows the trajectory of Jemisin's story, borrowing from the sounds of the city until the final battle with the enemy.