Scherzo Angustia

for Double Reed Octet (2005) Buy it
transcribed for Double Wind Quintet (2011) Buy it

This piece was written for Timothy Hurtz and the Penn State Double Reed Ensemble. There's a certain stereotypical way most composers write for double reed instruments: we get to play the shepherd in lyrical, pastoral solos or the playful jokester in scherzando noodling. I decided to play with this idea in my own scherzo by retaining these characteristics and giving them an edge. While writing the piece I envisioned it as a kind of parody of double reed writing, but revisiting the piece after 5 years it seems the piece stands on its own well enough (one of the reasons I transcribed it for double wind quintet). The humor in the piece comes from the few times I take it over the top. In an ideal performance these little grotesqueries are brought to the fore. The form is conventional and easy to follow.

---

back to works list