2 clarinets in B-flat

These are arrangements of two melodies found in "Come 'A Singing Canadian Folk Songs" by Marius Barbeau, et al published in Ottawa by the King's Printer, 1974. 1. 'My Lonely Heart' was collected from Mme. Bolduc of Quebec City in 1918. 2. 'The Jolly Raftsmen' is a lumberman's song from the Ottawa River. This version of 'Jolly Raftsmen' is the first one I made. Later, I set it for 12 woodwinds as 'The Merry Raftsmen' [7905] and for woodwind quintet 'The Jolly Raftsmen' [9513].

1. My Lonely Heart (3’15)
2. The Jolly Raftsmen (2'45)

This is a revised and re-notated version of this work. Cues have been added and the keys of the first two movements have been lowered a whole step. An aural scrapbook of music heard during the 19th century: 1. Washington’s March at the Battle of Trenton by James Hewitt (1770 - 1827), 2. Farewell, Thou Dear Country by G. F. Stanbury (1800 - 1845) 3. Waltz by F. A. Vogel, 4. Reel and Hornpipe (Buckley's Favorite Reel and Saratoga Hornpipe). For wind nonet. E-flat and B-flat contra bass clarinet parts are provided to substitute for contrabassoon or double bass.

Fragments for wind octet was composed beginning in 1992 and worked on sporadically until 2010. It uses a compositional technique as if themes placed on a bulletin board are moved around for each instrument. The motives recall the traditional figures played when harmonies – ensembles of pairs of woodwinds and horns - were in vogue: leaping clarinet arpeggios, bouncy bassoon bass lines, sprightly rhythms and lyrical oboe melodies. The horns, however, play a corrupted version of ‘horn fifths’ throughout without sharing it.