Sagacity's Perdition
Michael Wittgraf
About this work:
Michael Wittgraf
Program Notes to Sagacity’s Perdition
Sagacity’s Perdition, an eight-minute work for bass clarinet, percussion, and piano, was commissioned by and composed for Zeitgeist. It was completed in April of 2005. The title, which could alternatively be “Wisdom’s Hell”, refers to a situation that has surely plagued countless people countless times during the course of a life: the attempt to explain a perfectly lucid and important concept or principle to someone who simply cannot comprehend what you are saying. The composer would like to stress that this thought in no way refers to his experiences as a teacher. Sagacity’s perdition appears, among other places, in philosophical/religious/political discussions, between a parent and child, in defense of one’s character, and when dealing with the press.
The work begins with a short, quiet introduction where the bass clarinet plays freely with a few notes while the vibraphone on occasion reinforces the third or fifth harmonic of the note at hand. An astute listener may be able to hear a second “melody” in those harmonics even when the vibraphone is not playing. Following the introduction, the bass clarinet continues with new melodic material, supported by drones in the piano and vibraphone. Next, the piano takes over the melodic material, while the bass clarinet “helps” with an embellished version of that melody played simultaneously with the piano, and the vibraphone continues with the drone. Finally, the piano presents melodic material in two registers, while the bass clarinet and added non-pitched percussion reach a feverish intensity, culminating in a final sustained gesture that abruptly brings the piece to an end.
Year composed: 2004
Duration: 00:08:00
Ensemble type: Chamber or Jazz Ensemble, Without Voice:Other Combinations, 2-5 players
Instrumentation: 1 Bass Clarinet, 1 Percussion (General), 1 Piano
Instrumentation notes: percussion includes vibraphone