Four World Variants for Clarinet Quartet

Description

All the movements of Four World Variants are based on one theme. The theme proper can be heard in the fugue subject of the first movement. The second movement uses the theme in retrograde inversion (backwards and upside down) to emulate the music of Gagaku. Gagaku literally translates as “elegant music” and is the ancient imperial court music of Japan. The third movement uses the theme in retrograde (simply backwards) to create a sarabande. Sarabandes are typically associated with the dance suites of the Baroque era but are said to have originated in Central and North America. The Sarabande was banned for a time in 16th century Spain for it’s lascivious nature. The final movement uses the original form of the theme combined with a traditional drumming pattern of the Ewe people of Togo, Benin, and Ghana, West Africa.

I. Europe: An Enlightenment Fugue  
II. Asia: A Gagaku Serenade  
III. A New World Sarabande  
IV. Africa: Ewe Polyrhythms

This suite is ideal for high school, college or professional players.