About this work:
Remember (2022) for baritone, trumpet, trombone, and bass clarinet
Chen Yi
The music of my Remember (2022) is written for the mixed quartet Loadbang (baritone, trumpet, trombone, and bass clarinet), in memory of Prof. Steven Stucky (1949-2016), the first Barr Institute Laureate Composer (2006-2008) at the UMKC Conservatory, who has influenced and supported many of our UMKC composers through lectures, master classes, new music festival/workshops, and sincere advice to the development of the institute at the Conservatory. He has made profound contributions to our music community as an extraordinary composer, an excellent and devoted teacher, an enthusiastic advocate of new music composers, and a generous human being. Prof. Stucky will be deeply missed by all of us in our community.
The lyric of Remember is drawn from nonsense syllables found in Chinese folk songs: "Yo_ Yo_ Yo_ Yo_, Mm_____, Wei (way)____," and so on. The dropped down pitches at the end of some melodic phrases mimic the sound of sighing in the beginning part of Remember. The initial melodic material is developed throughout the work in various textures, featuring each musician in the Loadbang ensemble.