The Butterfly Dream is a short writing by the Chinese Taoist philosopher, Chuang Tzu. This English translation is by Burton Watson from Chuang Tzu: Basic Writings (Columbia University Press, NY):
“Once Chuang Chou dreamt he was a butterfly, a butterfly flitting and fluttering around, happy with himself and doing as he pleased. He didn't know he was Chuang Chou. Suddenly he woke up and there he was, solid and unmistakable Chuang Chou. But he didn't know if he was Chuang Chou who had dreamt he was a butterfly, or a butterfly dreaming he was Chuang Chou. Between Chuang Chou and a butterfly there must be some distinction! This is called The Transformation of Things.”
As C. W. Chan puts it, “This shows that, although in ordinary appearance there are differences between things, in delusions or in dreams one thing can also be another. The Transformation of Things proves that the differences among things are not absolute.”
Not only did I use the text as artistic inspiration, but also as a way of creating a formal structure for the piece. The text is divided and written directly in the score. Without being completely literal, the text serves as an abstract programmatic guideline for the performer. The Butterfly Dream was commissioned by Amy O’Dell and was written in March, 2015. It was recorded and released on her album "Find Your Inner Child."
