Clarinet Quartet

2 Clarinets, Alto Clarinet, Bass Clarinet Learn More

from "Suite No. 3 in D"; 3 Clarinets and Bass Clarinet Learn More

3 Clarinets and Bass Clarinet (alternate Alto Clarinet included for Clarinet 3) Learn More

from Sonate No. 4 Learn More

3 Clarinets and Bass Clarinet Learn More

2 Clarinets, Alto Clarinet, Bass Clarinet Learn More

3 Clarinets and Bass Clarinet (alternate Alto Clarinet included for Clarinet 3) Learn More

3 Clarinets and Bass Clarinet (alternate Alto Clarinet included for Clarinet 3) Learn More

Eb Clarinet, 2 Bb clarinets and Bass Clarinet Learn More

3 Clarinets and Bass Clarinet (alternate Alto Clarinet included for Clarinet 3) Learn More

This sensitive rendition of one of Mozart’s most sublime works makes an outstanding feature number for a recital as well as a wonderful musical offering in church. On the Texas Contest List Grade 2 - UIL 243-2-26480. Learn More

3 Clarinets and Bass Clarinet (alternate Alto Clarinet included for Clarinet 3) Learn More

3 Clarinets and Bass Clarinet Learn More

CANZONA by Florentio Maschera (1540-1584) transcribed by Howard J. Buss. This late Renaissance work is written in a stirring imitative style and makes a memorable feature number for a recital as well as a wonderful musical offering in church. On the Ohio Contest List Class B - 1013500 Learn More

3 Clarinets and Bass Clarinet

This work by Italian composer Sergio Brusca, entitled Chanson ’98, is a lively and quick Clarinet Quartet in Swing Tempo. It features syncopated rhythmic figures throughout and contains a lengthy and technically challenging solo for the first clarinet.

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3 Clarinets and Bass Clarinet (alternate Alto Clarinet included for Clarinet 3) Learn More

3 Clarinets and Bass Clarinet (alternate Alto Clarinet included for Clarinet 3) Learn More

3 Clarinets and Bass Clarinet

One of the big reasons why I started working on this piece was to add another large-scale quartet into the rather limited repertoire. The main programmatic element was inspired by a work of fiction centering on a character’s travels from Ireland to America. The biggest focus of the work is leaving a place of comfort, arriving at a place of chaos, then finding comfort in that chaos. I used specific places as reference points to make the narrative feel more ‘real’ to myself and hopefully an audience as well.

1. On Raghtin More: Raghtin More is a mountain in northern Ireland which represents everything that the central figure of the story desires. Simplicity, tranquility, silence. However, in this instance, this perfect setting is merely a dream, which ends up being clouded by images of past inner-turmoil and negative experiences. The movement ends with the main character waking up, realizing he is on a flight to America, where he fears he won’t be able to experience the silence he once felt.

2. In New Jersey: the character finds himself thrust into a startling and completely foreign situation. The sounds of angry car horns and the chaos of rushing people are all new to him, and he has major issues trying to adjust. Coupled with frequent reminders of past memories, the character falls into a downward spiral that can only be terminated through the love and guidance of others.

3. And One With Me: In this movement, the character finds peace within himself, even though he is still confronted by chaos and negative thoughts. This movement is also reminiscent of a love song: either in the context of romantic love, as well as spiritual love and love of the self.

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3 Clarinets and Bass Clarinet: This well-known African American spiritual (the foot bone's connected to the leg bone, the leg bone's connected to the...), arranged by Howard Buss, makes a memorable concert feature as well as a rousing musical offering in church. Multiple players may be used on each part to expand the ensemble. This arrangement is hugely influenced by jazz. The extended two-part introduction begins hymn-like and then breaks out in a jubilant jazzy section. This is followed by a more traditional rendering of the spiritual; however, as the music reaches its climax, the jazz "licks" from the introduction are brought back as counterpoint against the main melody of the spiritual. The result is exhilarating, and for a bit of humor, just as the work ends, there is a "tongue-in-cheek" plagal cadence. On the Texas Contest List Grade 2 - UIL 244-2-26486. Learn More

3 Clarinets and Bass Clarinet

Duke Front Five (2007) is a short work inspired by the brilliant works of one of America’s greatest composers: Duke Ellington, The title is a reference to the front row of five reed players who played everything from tin whistle to bass saxophone. The so-called “Ellington” saxophone sound can be characterized by tight parallel voice leading which I have paired with asymmestrical, minimalistic patterns in the work’s opening section. The form of the piece is a fairly straightforward rondo with a contrasticing mambo idea and a brief four-voice fuge (nods to Ellington’s love of both Afro-Latin and European art music). For the analytically minded, there are lots of mathematical processes involved, but the listener can choose to ignore these if desired! The piece was commissioned by the excellent young clarinet ensemble known as 10th and Broadway who will perform the work at the 2011 International ClarinetFest in Los Angeles.

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