Trio for Clarinet, Violin, and Piano

Instrumentation: B-flat clarinet (doubles bass clarinet), violin, percussion

World Premiere: F-Plus; (Andy Hudson, clarinet), (Kate Dreyfuss, violin), (Josh Graham, percussion); September 23, 2018; Constellation, Chicago

Duration: 13 minutes

Program Notes:

I. again, again, again

II. quiver

(attacca)

III. iron lung minuet

IV. strut

While composing for F-Plus’ unusual instrumentation, my piece organically evolved into a “traditional” symphonic structure of movements: fast, slow, fast minuet in the third movement, and a fast final fourth movement. In addition, an overarching concept throughout the piece is creating unity between three such distinct musical timbres. As the first movement’s title suggests, “again, again, again,” sounds as if the ensemble is trying and failing to achieve a musical goal. However, the beauty is in the failure. In the second movement, “quiver,” the first movement’s opening motive of an alternating half step is completely transformed through a dramatically slower tempo and hushed stillness quality. While composing the third movement, I crystallized the concept of mapping a symphonic structure onto a trio. I play with the traditional minuet and trio form by beginning the minuet with hushed breath sounds. Pitch is gradually introduced throughout the minuet, but ultimately the movement unravels as the tempo reaches a breakneck speed. The fourth movement “strut” is a play on a march. The percussion and violin play a steady groove over which the clarinet plays with a sinewy and somewhat sinister chromatic descent. Several motives from previous movements are also restated and altered.