compositions performances about contact

biguine (2011) for Bb clarinet and double bass

Biguine is a very rhythmic style of music that originated in Martinque, comprised of a main melody, call and response, and improvised solos. To me, this is a lost music—any modern version I've heard doesn't quite get to the heart of it. In this piece, the bass and clarinet emerge from an ambiguous texture, playing echoes of a lost style, combine to create the biguine for a moment, then fade away again. For David Seerveld.

recording (streaming)
score (pdf)

notable performances

June 4, 2011
new works for double bass
Beth Fleenor, clarinet; John Teske, double bass
Chapel Performance Space