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Variations on "La Folia", Op. 80, No. 3 (2017)

For Recorder Quartet

Live Performance:

Joe Clark, soprano recorder; Annie Sawamura, alto recorder; Cynsy Plant, tenor recorder; Jordan Moore, bass recorder

Perusal Score:

Duration: 8'30"

Instrumentation:

  • Soprano Recorder in C
  • Alto Recorder in F
  • Tenor Recorder in C
  • Bass Recorder in F

Program Notes:

At the beginning of the fall semester of my fifth year, I was browsing Bret Newton's Bandestration site and ran across the section on crumhorns. I knew very little about crumhorns so, my curiosity piqued, I went to the Eastman Instrument Office and checked some out. Along with some friends from the music education department, we formed a crumhorn quartet in short order. It turned out that Jordan Moore also happened to have a full set of recorders with him at school, so there was nothing to do but also play some recorder quartets.

I remember being fascinated with "La Folia" the first time I encountered it, back in my beginning piano lesson books. The tonicisation of the relative major in particular drew me. I am honored now to join the grand traditions of variations on "La Folia".

The piece was premiered on May 4, 2017 by the Rentet (Joe Clark, Annie Sawamura, Cynsy Plant, and Jordan Moore) on a recital at the Eastman School of Music.

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