Ye Mardy Pipers Of Georgianna
(2024)
for clarinet, bass clarinet & virtual ensemble
commissioned by Georgina Oakes & Anna Koch
premiered on 3 April 2024 in the Wallace King Room, Sydney Grammar, Darlinghurst, NSW, Australia
score available through The Australian Music Centre
duration: 4’10”
genre: Chamber - Small, Electronic
category: Ambrosia, Utile Dulci
The clarinet family rose to prominence in Western music rather quickly: in under a century, the standard clarinet was invented, streamlined, and given a permanent position in the orchestra. To a large extent, this was due to the instruments’ immense flexibility and robustness, especially in the hands of expert players like Anna and Georgina. Ye Mardy Pipers Of Georgianna celebrates this versatility, covering the full range and technical palette of both instruments, and veering wildly between loud and proud, and delicate and intricate. Accompanying these marvels of 18th century technology is a marvel of 21st century technology: the ‘virtual ensemble’. Essentially a computerised orchestra, it matches the older contraptions with its own formidable array of colours and effects. Together, clarinets and computer enhance each other powers, creating a (hopefully) formidable musical cyborg.
