Serenata A Due
Ernesto P. Pellegrini
About this work:
John Jones, known to many as JJ, had periodically asked me to write a tuba work for him. When he left Ball State University to seek greener pastures at the University of Louisville, he was replaced by Velvet Brown. In JJ’s absence Ms. Brown became my new mentor. Because of their proficiency in the art of tuba playing, I decided to write a work which made use of their combined talents. A duo for tubas became an incredible challenge because of the overpowering and muddled low range of the instrument itself. In time, as the coloristic aspect of these two “likable” instruments became clear in my mind, the present work came to be known as a: Serenata a due.
The work is meant to be a dialogue between two players, and each player pretends to be a suitor. Thus, the work is a dialogue between two competing suitors who are both attempting to serenade and seek the affection of a beautiful girl named Giulia. A tune, an Italian folk song from the region of Tuscany (“Giulia gentil “ - “Fair Giulia”), is the basis for the entire work, and Giulia happens to be the girl cited in the song. After a lengthy introduction in which the two players are basically tuning up for the occasion, the actual serenading takes place, and since the two suitors are essentially competing for the same girl, many interruptions of the tune are fabricated by the two in an effort to outdo or outplay each other. Somehow the serenading, which was meant to be done in a spirit of comradeship, never comes to fruition - - and the work ends with a sense of discord between the two, even though a last moment attempt to reconciliation is made....!
Year composed: 1995
Duration: 00:15:00
Ensemble type: Chamber or Jazz Ensemble, Without Voice:Other Combinations, 2-5 players
Instrumentation: ,2 Tuba soloist(s)
Instrumentation notes: Two tubas. Full score advised for performance