Shortened Suite

Description

A collection of miniature pieces (‘short and sweet’ – get it?) to bring out the contrasting characteristics of each clarinet (and in turn, the whole ensemble) in not very much time at all. Starting with a strident and canonical Fanfare, there follows a Dance, but one where everyone’s feet seem to be in the wrong place after a fairly confident opening – thankfully, this gives way to a more soothing Soliloquy, with one half of the group descending to the depths whilst the other reaches for the sky; someone’s had a bit too much caffeine in Coffee Buzz, with lots of nervous jittering going on… a brief Postlude allows the alto to shine, giving the rest of the ensemble a chance to recap on some of the themes heard so far, before a slow, relaxing exhale.