American standard
Michael Kaulkin
About this work: Originally written for British clarinettist Peter Furniss and pianist Gareth Hunt in 1993, this single-movement work has an overtly theatrical aspect, harkening back to the composer’s spiritual home in musical theater. A dialogue is established between two contrasting but thematically related sections. The slow, lyrical, aching theme heard at the outset becomes interspersed with a second that is more mischievous, even grotesque in character. Constant development of this faster material provides a means of pushing forward with considerable virtuosity to the composition’s rather resigned conclusion, where both themes (and moods) are finally juxtaposed.
American Standard can be heard on a CD featuring Peter Furniss and pianist David Leiher Jones. See Clarinet Classics CC0054: Time Pieces
For audio excerpts, see my web site
Year composed: 1993
Duration: 00:09:00
Ensemble type: Chamber or Jazz Ensemble, Without Voice:Keyboard plus One Instrument
Instrumentation: 1 Clarinet, 1 Piano
Instrumentation notes: cl, pno