Caricatures
Theodore Wiprud
About this work:
I admit it: I first composed Caricatures for a competition I lost. That was many years ago, but even then I was taken with the idea of a piece for solo string instrument to accompany choreography, the stipulation of the competition. Years later, a former student of mine, Ralph Farris, wanted to play something of mine on his master’s recital at Juilliard. So I pulled the Caricatures out, almost completely recomposed them, and was rewarded in 1992 with a wonderful premiere of a reborn piece.
And a very difficult piece, too. On one level, these Caricatures are ten very tough etudes on a variety of string techniques. But for the audience, they represent humorous sketches of ten character types, as described below.
The ten Caricatures are played in pairs as follows:
1. Surfer (double stops): the surf movie hero, cool in his poses and wild on the waves. Without pause into:
2. Sun Worshiper (natural harmonics): the opposite kind of beach cool, withdrawn into revery behind reflector shades.
3. Life of the Party (glissando): the guy who laughs at his own stupid jokes, including lampshade on head; the police may have to intervene. Without pause into:
4. Grande Dame (double stops with tremolo): the hefty, haughty figure whose imposing figure dissolves into giggling gossip after a drink or two.
5. Tenderfoot (pizzicato glissando): the would-be cowpuncher as yet without boots, stepping gingerly over cactus spines while waxing sentimental about a home on the range. Without pause into:
6. Veteran (left hand pizzicato): the flinty old hero who knows war is hell and tells a story to prove it.
7. Old Folks (col legno tratto e battuto): the group chatting on the porch, hoarse but full of mischief and laughs. Without pause into:
8. Telephone Sales (sul ponticello): the fast-talking caller whose spiel admits no interruption -- except an abrupt cut-off.
9. City Cyclist (bariolage): the intrepid bicyclist who speeds through weather and traffic impervious to cars’ horns.
10. Street Performer (percussive techniques): the tireless extrovert demanding attention and contributions, now with wild gesture, now with gentle pantomime, finally with bitter frustration.
Year composed: 1992
Duration: 00:18:00
Ensemble type: Solo instrument, non-keyboard:Viola
Instrumentation: 1 Viola
Instrumentation notes: requires wide range of advanced techniques