TWO SCENES for Bb clarinet and piano (2016)

Recording of Alexa Bayouk, piano, and Devin Turner, clarinet; May, 2016

About the music

This piece is in two movements, adagio and allegro, with the first movement being played attacca into the second movement. The first movement is very lyrical and features sweeping lines in the clarinet over a melancholic piano accompaniment reminiscent of early minimalism. The second movement is more energetic than the first movement, with a lot of chromatic motion. In the first few measures the clarinet introduces a dance-like rhythmic figure that is used throughout the entire movement. These two movements in many ways are meant to stand in direct contrast to each other.