Patagona gigas
Quintet 1:
Piccolo
Oboe
E-flat Clarinet
Sopranino Saxophone
Violin
Quintet 2:
Contrabass Clarinet
Bass Saxophone
Contrabassoon
Tuba
Double Bass
Patagona Gigas was written to be performed at my senior composition recital on October 2016. The piece’s title refers to the Giant Hummingbird which, while small, is the largest hummingbird with the whopping wingspan of 21.5 cm. This piece fetishizes my fascination with register and instruments that explore these registers and explore new sounds. In the first quintet of high instruments I indulge in the highest notes of the piccolo, oboe, e-flat clarinet, and violin and also use the highest most reasonably common saxophone, the sopranino saxophone, an instrument I have owned for years and with which I have to create opportunities to use. Within the second quintet I use a contrabass clarinet, bass saxophone, contrabassoon, tuba, and double bass, instruments that I love for their depth. Each member of the quintets has a sort of relative in the other quintet (if you pair tuba and piccolo which, why wouldn’t you) which makes for fun interplay between the two ensembles. While primarily gestural the work also makes use of a fugue and a blues bass riff. Having started my musical life on the clarinet and quickly learning the fourth register notes and now specializing on the bassoon, an instrument that doubles one of the lowest members of the orchestra, the contrabassoon, it’s only natural that I’ve come to compose a work like this. Keep your earplugs handy.
Piccolo
Oboe
E-flat Clarinet
Sopranino Saxophone
Violin
Quintet 2:
Contrabass Clarinet
Bass Saxophone
Contrabassoon
Tuba
Double Bass
Patagona Gigas was written to be performed at my senior composition recital on October 2016. The piece’s title refers to the Giant Hummingbird which, while small, is the largest hummingbird with the whopping wingspan of 21.5 cm. This piece fetishizes my fascination with register and instruments that explore these registers and explore new sounds. In the first quintet of high instruments I indulge in the highest notes of the piccolo, oboe, e-flat clarinet, and violin and also use the highest most reasonably common saxophone, the sopranino saxophone, an instrument I have owned for years and with which I have to create opportunities to use. Within the second quintet I use a contrabass clarinet, bass saxophone, contrabassoon, tuba, and double bass, instruments that I love for their depth. Each member of the quintets has a sort of relative in the other quintet (if you pair tuba and piccolo which, why wouldn’t you) which makes for fun interplay between the two ensembles. While primarily gestural the work also makes use of a fugue and a blues bass riff. Having started my musical life on the clarinet and quickly learning the fourth register notes and now specializing on the bassoon, an instrument that doubles one of the lowest members of the orchestra, the contrabassoon, it’s only natural that I’ve come to compose a work like this. Keep your earplugs handy.