DESCRIPTION:
By Joe Clark

Joe Clark, Clarinet 1
Justin Marple, Clarinet 2
Clarisse Neilan, Clarinet 3
Kaitlin Baker, Bass Clarinet
- With the following guest soloists -
Annelise Ellars, Harp
Dave Flournoy, Bassoon
Julia Church, Tenor Saxophone
Richard Cuoco, French Horn
Cailley Culotta, Viola
Lisa Clark, Flute
Brandon Morgan, Alto Saxophone

I. Fanfare
II. Fair
III. Fugue
IV. Sonata in F
V. Fantasia
VI. Folk Song
VII. Fireflies
VIII. Fiery Nights
IX. Finale

For those of you who were at the recital last year, you heard the original "April Vacation Quartet". A number of my peers made remarks that they wish they could join the quartet -- but none of them played clarinet. This obviously presented a slight issue. However, a vision gradually took shape in my mind for a suite in which soloists were featured with clarinet quartet accompaniment. There are a number of repertoire pieces featuring a soloist with string quartet -- so why not the equivalent with clarinet quartet? This concept proved to be quite successful and popular, eventually becoming the nine-movement suite you hear tonight. Unlike most of my other multi-movement compositions, the various movements are largely unrelated and can be performed independently of each other. Fortunately, planning and a good deal of luck allow all nine movements to be performed tonight.
Locus, Locī, m. is a Latin word meaning "place". This suite is an exploration of both musical time and space. Most of the movements represent a specific time in musical history and are arranged roughly in chronological order.
• The opening "Fanfare" introduces the four members of the clarinet quartet who will be performing for the rest of the piece.
• The "Fanfare" leads directly into "Fair", featuring harp on a stately Renaissance-style melody. As the tempo increases, the demands on the harpist become much greater -- and more modern.
• The third movement for bassoon, "Fugue", is a modern take on the Baroque form of prelude and fugue -- an introduction followed by a faster portion in which various voices enter in imitation of one another.
• Moving on, the "Sonata in F" is modeled after a classical concerto in the style of Mozart -- although the tenor saxophone was not to be invented for some years yet.
• The "Fantasia" for horn, with its close harmonies and chromatically weaving lines, recalls the late Romantic/early 20th century composers testing the limits of traditional rules of harmony.
• For a change of pace, the viola next sings out a "Folk Song" in the style of Holst or Vaughan Williams -- although no actual folk song material is used.
• Both "Fireflies" and "Fiery Nights" (for flute and alto saxophone, respectively) are transcriptions. I originally wrote "Fiery Nights" for flute and string quartet for an English project. Aaron Taylor fell in love with the piece and requested a transcription he could perform; unfortunately, he is unable to perform tonight -- but Lisa Clark has done a lovely job in his place.
• "Fiery Nights", the only movement not original work in the suite, was transcribed from Michael Flatley and Ronan Hardinan's "Lord of the Dance".
• The final "Finale" brings the suite to a rousing, Klezmer-style close.

However, musical time is only half the equation. The placement of musicians within a space makes a large difference in perception of balance and intonation and can draw attention to certain aspects of a piece -- desirable or undesirable. Each movement has a different set-up. Do not be alarmed as musicians travel around the room!

A final note, on applause: Nowadays, it is considered rude to applaud in the middle of most multi-movement pieces (which, up to now, I have quite considerately kept off of the program!), However, except between the initial "Fanfare" and "Fair", applause is not only permitted but encouraged. Each of these soloists has worked hard to perform with us tonight and deserves much applause -- and we will certainly need the time to set up for the next movement.

Thank you so much for attending this evening! To follow future endeavors and to watch tonight's performance again, be sure to subscribe to my YouTube channel at http://www.youtube.com/user/ClarkProductions118.

Performed on August 11, 2012 at the Lawrence Library in Pepperell, MA