VIOLA in Mixed Ensembles
VIOLA:
Mixed Trios:
A sunset sonata (3/16/21) for flute, viola and harp – 7’00”. The work is in three movements. The title comes from a line in a poem by Carl Sandburg. I grew up in northern Ohio on the eastern edge of the corn belt. The surrounding fields were always alive in the wind. In summer, they are warm, sunny, peaceful places where “the prairie sings to me.” Hear the breezes in the harp glissandos and feel the restful leisure of the intertwining melodic lines. As the evening approaches, rain clouds gather, and the wind picks up. There is an intensity in the air and a sense of sudden instability, framed here by chromatic lines from flute and viola against the diatonic stability of the harp. At the same time, the late afternoon sun creates an array of colors in the sky. That is the nature of the “spring breeze.” The patter of water on the dry earth is heard in the constant repetition of sixteenth notes. It is the kind of gentle shower that is good for the crops and a farmer’s delight. Cheerful melodic patterns jumping between instruments proclaim, “send us at last a joyful rain.” MIDI perfoprmance.
Acadia Trio (3/18/14) for clarinet, viola and piano – 11’40”. This piece pays tribute to Acadia National Park. It is one of the most beautiful of the national parks in the eastern United States. The rock-bound coast of Maine can be quite wild, especially at “Thunder Hole” (the first movement) where giant waves off the Atlantic often pound the shore creating massive sprays. The second movement reflects the calm, almost meditative mood of visiting “Eagle Lake.” Although only about 1500 feet tall, “Cadillac Mountain” is the tallest point on the eastern seaboard. The view from the top is spectacular. This movement attempts to capture the majesty of the mountain and the awe of seeing nature at its most magnificent. MIDI perfoprmance.
Sonatina for Three Instruments (2012) for clarinet, viola and piano – 8’40”. Sonatina for Three Instruments begins with “Misplaced Rondo” in which the principal theme is not the first theme heard, but the second. The overall form is a seven-part rondo with introduction. The other two movements need little explanation. The “Interlude” is a simple ternary slow movement, and “Rhythmic Dance” is a sectional form. MIDI perfoprmance.
“Pyritic Obsession” (1982) for flute, viola and piano – 7’00”. Sometimes we want some shiny new object and think it’s our due, but we need to be aware that it may not turn out as well as we had hoped. In this piece, the title refers to iron pyrite – fool’s gold. I had a tongue-in-cheek idea that major triads were like fool’s gold – all shiny and bright sounding but really no more important than any other group of notes. Not currently available.
Live performance. This performance features Joe Bonner – flute, Debra Moree – viola, and Laura Hoffman – piano, recorded at Memphis State University.
Joe David Bonner (1947-2021)
Mixed Quartets:
Tonal Entanglement (4/27/19) for bassoon, violin, viola and cello – 9’15”. My recent interest in quantum entanglement influenced this work. The idea that an electron could function in two places at once, even separated by a considerable distance, fascinated me. For the first movement, Simple Pleasures in Multiple Places, I started with the idea that the accompanying string figures should embody C major, A minor, and the dominant of C major simultaneously. The second movement, Modal Chaconne, begins with a simple, four-measure phrase from the bassoon. In the manner of a chaconne, the phrase is repeated by each of the instruments, but it drifts through different pitches. Against this, there is a rhythmic figure that is at odds with the underlying rhythm, creating a sense of unease. The last movement, Racing to Where We’ve Been, is in G minor, but gives hints of many other keys, among them G major with flatted sixth and seventh scale degrees. The retro ending with its repeated G bring the case for entanglement full circle to the accompanying dominant of the first movement. MIDI perfoprmance.
Sheraja Lashadachka i Bulba aka “Grey Horse and Potatoes” (1/22/18) for clarinet, violin, viola and cello – 7’40”. Parts of this work are based on two folk songs from Belarus. I found delightful performances of both on the internet. “The Grey Horse” (Sheraja Lashadachka) was played by Valentina and Alexander Kozak (Kozak Family Trio) and “Zhivicca.” “Potatoes” (Bulba) was arranged by Dmitri Slepovitch and performed by the Simcha Jewish Youth Music Theater (Minsk), Elizaveta Khaskina, Artistic Director and Conductor, in a video courtesy of Limburg TV, the Netherlands, 2009. This rendering of the folk music begins with a pensive clarinet solo over the strings that is interrupted by the “grey horse” melody. The clarinet’s melancholy statement continues, changes tempo and introduces fragments of “potatoes” that leads to a full statement of the melody beginning with the violin. The “potato” section includes new material, ending with a ritard and a return of the pensive clarinet. The “grey horse” section follows, eventually moving back and forth between the two folk melodies before ending quietly with the “potato” theme. MIDI perfoprmance.
Allegro Quartet (1/16/18) for clarinet, violin, viola and cello – 12’30”. This piece is about energy, and in a way, about the varied meanings of allegro. It is lively, even in its “slow” movement, and uses a variety of textures and figuration to remain fresh and cheerful. The opening movement, marked allegramente (nimbly, lightly, vivaciously), creates its energy from syncopation and unexpected chromaticism. A middle section provides some relief from both the syncopations and the chromatics. The second movement begins and ends slowly. However, even here, the thirty-second note runs prevent a complete sense of ease. At the allegro assai, the clarinet introduces a syncopated figure. This figure grows into an accompanied fugue. A slower, chordal is interrupted by a very folksy melody from the clarinet against pizzicato strings. The allegro assai returns before movement ends slowly. The final allegro resembles a movement in a concerto grosso with a four-measure ritornello. The first solo is a lively melody from the clarinet. Each instrument, in turn, has a solo that speaks in its own voice. At the end, the clarinet’s first melody is played by pairs of instruments before the final tutti. MIDI perfoprmance.
Fantasy for Four (12/20/2013) for soprano sax, viola, bassoon and xylophone – 4’45”. This is a short, abstract work studying the interplay between various timbers and textures. While it is tonal, it violates established rules of tonality in various subtle ways. The expression of the work should be calm and contemplative. There is no obvious climax to the work, nor should there be. MIDI perfoprmance.
April Nights (5/6/13) available for flute, clarinet, viola and cello or flute, clarinet, horn and bassoon or flute, clarinet, viola and bassoon – 5’00”. Spring is a time of renewal and growth. This work takes three simple ideas (one lively and rhythmic, a second using sustained rising fifths, and the third a flowing melody) and combines them in different ways to capture the freshness of early Spring evenings. MIDI perfoprmance.
Mixed Sextets:
Concerto for Clarinet and String Quintet (4/23/20) 15’00”. The first movement, Passion, begins with a cadenza for the clarinet. The first theme at the entrance of the strings is somber and tense. The second movement, Frustration, begins with a jagged but sustained melody in the lower strings answered by descending scales from the clarinet. Dissonant chords follow along with a string accompaniment related to rhythms from the first movement. The entire second movement develops from these elements, ending with another clarinet cadenza. The third movement, Jubilation, is a light, cheerful rondo. It features wide leaps and arpeggios in the clarinet part, things particularly suited to the instrument. MIDI perfoprmance.
Mixed Octets:
Citta di’Udine (2010) for flute/piccolo, B-flat clarinet/bass clarinet, percussion, piano and string quartet – 7’40”. This work is based largely on memories of a stay in Italy in 1975. I was staying with friends in a villa in the hills about five miles from the city. We were young, and it was the first time in a foreign country. Everything was an adventure, whether it was searching for portabella mushrooms in the forest or buying bread and cheese in the open market. This piece attempts to capture the joy of youth and adventure when everything was new, and life appeared to have no limits. MIDI perfoprmance.