A Recording Project Featuring Five Newly Commissioned Works for Clarinet by James Patrick Applegate

ABSTRACT

This project features five new pieces for clarinet commissioned from three different composers including:

1. Rasa by Jeffrey Ouper

2. Faerie Tale Dances by Jeffrey Ouper

3. Amalgamated Widget by Tavia Sullens

4. Faerie Suite by Theresa Martin

5. Time Lapse by Theresa Martin

Faerie Suite and Amalgamated Widget are for unaccompanied clarinet; Time Lapse is a trio for clarinet, bass clarinet, and piano; Faerie Tale Dances is a trio for E-flat clarinet, sopranino recorder, and toy piano; and Rasa is a quartet for E-flat clarinet, two A clarinets, and bass clarinet. These pieces challenge the performer in various ways, including complex rhythm, use of extended techniques such as glissando, flutter tongue, and circular breathing, and synthetic and non-traditional scales. The composers were given guidelines prior to the compositional process to create works with a thematic connection to mythology, folklore, or fairy tales, and inspired by dance and non-western or traditional harmonies and idioms. This document offers background information about the composers and the works, and a performance guide is included for each. This guide provides recommendations and suggestions for each piece. Also included are interviews with each of the composers. Accompanying this document are recordings of each of the five pieces, performed by the author.