Wooden Triptych (Trio for Clarinet, Bass Clarinet, Marimba)

A three-movement ode to American radio, Wooden Triptych constantly "flips" through and combines a variety of musical genres in a way listeners are sure to enjoy! The work can be performed by a variety of instruments, offering groups several ways to perform it.

Genre: Trio for Clarinet, Bass Clarinet, Marimba | # of Players: 3
Level: Medium Difficult | Duration: 12:00

Instrumentation
B-flat Clarinet (optional Soprano Saxophone)
Bass Clarinet (optional Cello or Baritone Saxophone)
Marimba (5-octave) and Bongos

Program Notes
It is likely that my first exposure to music occurred while I was in a car. While I cannot prove this, I do know that some of my first exposures to the various forms of popular music occurred while riding with my sister, Brie. She could be considered a “station surfer,” never staying on one frequency for very long. Car rides with her would inevitably include listening to country, hip-hop, Top 40, or whatever else happened to pique her interest at the time. Her habits have rubbed off on me and today my own car is never silent, emitting everything from electronica to indie rock to blues from its speakers.

Wooden Triptych is my attempt to depict what one might hear while in my car. You might discern electronic music at one point, pop music the next, or even catch a bit of a local newscast. A healthy dose of jazz has also been injected into the mix, as my hometown of Kansas City has some of the best jazz broadcasting in the country. And of course a few avant-garde elements have also made their way into the piece as a result of our National Public Radio stations’ commitment to playing contemporary music. Whatever you may hear in this piece, I encourage you to venture away from your pre-set stations once in a while and discover all the wonderful kinds of music on the airwaves.

Performance Notes
• The optional parts are intended to replace the clarinet and/or bass clarinet and are not to be performed simulaneously.

• Measures 82-83 of Breaking Muse are to be repeated as many times as it takes for the clarinet and marimba to fade out. The bass clarinet is to play each repeat and maintain a steady volume. After the clarinet and marimba have faded out the bass clarinet is to immediately proceed into Octo-Blues.

• If a baritone saxophone with a low A key is unavailable, the performer may transpose those notes up an octave when they appear. In addition, the player is free to transpose phrases with low A’s to ensure accurate dynamics, phrasing, etc.