Fey-led

Program Notes

A traveler, walking home at dusk, notices a small, shadowy figure ahead of him holding a bright light. He starts after the figure, but no matter how he quickens his pace, he never seems to draw any closer. Suddenly, he finds himself at the edge of a vast chasm; one more step could have meant his death. Looking up, he sees the figure on the far side of the chasm. It laughs, then extinguishes its light and vanishes, leaving the traveler miles from home and hopelessly lost. This is a common cautionary tale of the will-o'-the-wisp, also known as a pixy-light. In English folklore, these mischievous fey spirits often take pleasure in leading travelers over cliffs or into bogs or caves. Fey-led is loosely based on this folk tale, using processed vocal and piano sounds to depict what someone might experience if they were unlucky enough to be the target of the fey's game.

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