Spurl

for saxophone or B-flat clarinet solo (2009/2013), c.3’

Winner of the 2018 Micro-Cosmos (Mikrokosmos) Microtonal Pedagogy Award

“Spurl is the first single-line composition I have ever created. It proved to be quite a challenge for me to create something that didn’t feel like someone playing a solo that’s supposed to go along with a “Music Minus One” recording without the recording. So, in the spirit of compositions like Johann Sebastian Bach’s Partita in A Minor for solo flute, Spurl attempts to convey both a melodic and harmonic progression through a monophonic texture. In order to do that, the music needs to move quite quickly. Spurl is relentless: in its entire 127 measures there isn’t a single rest. Ideally it requires circular breathing, but it is also possible to create an extremely effective performance by pre-recording alternate measures and playing along with the recording.“

Spurl was commissioned by the Boston Microtonal Society and received its world premiere at the BMS’ 20th anniversary concert in a version for solo alto saxophone on May 10, 2009 at St. Paul's Cathedral in Boston; since then I created an alternative version for Bb clarinet which was premiered by Michiyo Suzuki at the Turtle Bay Music School in New York City in a concert presented by Composers Concordance on April 25, 2013.