Folie à deux - A condition in which symptoms of a mental disorder, such as the same delusional beliefs or ideas, occur simultaneously in two individuals who share a close relationship or association.

 

While all of my music is intended to be expressive and communicative, I rarely think in terms of direct narrative elements. Folie à deux, however, is intended to be particularly naturalistic in the sense of representing a dialogue between two people, specifically a husband and wife. Inspired by several flute/clarinet couples of my acquaintance, I've created a fictional marriage and imagined various interactions, positive and negative, that invariably color any relationship. These include the periodic desire of one party to be left alone, the playful banter, the meaningful silences, resentments, reconciliations, and many other intense emotional states.

 

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