Christmas Tree for Strings
Jason Huffman
About this work:
Christmas Tree is the first in a larger series of works based on the numerous Christmas Trees Hyman Bloom painted throughout his life. Each piece, scored for different standard trios of instruments is constructed to be performed singly, or in simultaneous sounding combination with any or all of the other trios, recalling Bloom’s extensive set of paintings and drawings of forests in Maine. Additionally, each trio can be optionally performed as a quartet, quintet or sextet, the additional parts coloring and thickening the existing trio textures. Formally, the piece follows the painting horizontally across the canvas in imperfect symmetry, ending on the central fulcrum of the unseen trunk, musically represented by a nearly unrecognizable quote of a well known, contextually appropriate tune.
Version: String Trio - Sextet
Year composed: 2012
Duration: 00:12:00
Ensemble type: Chamber or Jazz Ensemble, Without Voice:Other Combinations, 6-9 players
Instrumentation: 3 Violin, 1 Viola, 1 Cello, 1 Double bass
Instrumentation notes: String Trio (Violin, Viola, Cello)
String Quartet (2 Violins, Viola, Cello)
String Quintet (2 Violins, Viola, Cello, Bass)
String Sextet (3 Violins (or 2 with 2 Violas), Viola, Cello, Bass)