Sequoia Trio | Jenni Brandon Oboe, Clarinet, Bassoon
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JB 119 The Sequoia Trio | Jenni Brandon Oboe, Clarinet, Bassoon The Sequoia Trio For Oboe, Clarinet And Bassoon Music By Jenni Brandon I. Sequoiadendron giganteum: The Big Tree "Southward the giants become more and more irrepressibly jubilant, heaving their massive crowns into the sky from every ridge and slope, waving onward in graceful compliance with the complicated topography of the region." Tree Interlude One II. "A crowd of hopeful young trees and saplings..." "But here for every old storm-beaten giant there are many in their prime and for each of these a crowd of hopeful young trees and saplings, growing vigorously on moraines, rocky ledges, along water courses and meadows." III. The Three Graces "Groups of two or three (sequoias) are often found standing close together...They are called "loving couples," "three graces," etc... By the time they are full-grown their trunks will touch and crowd against each other..." Tree Interlude Two IV. The Noble Trees "...the Big Trees (sequoia gigantean), the king of all the conifers in the world, 'the noblest of the noble race.’" - Quotes taken from The Yosemite, 1912 by John Muir Text is in the public domain. largest living things on earth, ending with Program Note remembrances of the opening movement and their gracefully waving branches. Following movement one and movement The Sequoia Trio was written for the three are “Tree Interlude One” and Tree Vientos Trio of Los Angeles, for whom I was Interlude Two.” These represent the composer‐in‐residence during 2008‐2009. individual voice of a tree, allowing it to I had returned from a trip to Sequoia speak out across the forest and tell us its National Park in July of 2008 and was story and the history it has seen for inspired by the great trees. I knew that thousands of years. these would be the basis for the new work, and in searching for a voice of these great Thanks to the efforts of John Muir the trees I turned to the words of John Muir for Sequoia Trees are available to us in all their inspiration. splendor and I hope that The Sequoia Trio gives you a glimpse at their majesty and Each movement takes a quote about these inspires you to listen to the trees’ ancient trees from John Muir’s book The Yosemite wisdom. and uses it to inspire the music. In movement one the words that struck me Jenni Brandon (b. 1977) is an award‐ were “graceful compliance” in that, winning composer. Many ensembles although these trees are massive, there is perform her commissioned music both still something gentle and approachable in nationally and internationally. She enjoys their fluid motions. The opening waving engaging with performers and audiences, pattern creates the gentle breeze as the often giving talks about the business of growth of the tree starts in the bassoon, music and the art of collaboration. As a moving through the clarinet and all the way conductor, she has led both church and to the top of the trees with the oboe. “A community choirs and she makes guest crowd of hopeful young trees and appearances to conduct her works. saplings…” is sassy and jazzy, giving the young trees the kind of resilient attitude Recordings of her works appear on the that they must maintain in order to survive. Delos, Albany, Centaur, MSR Classics, and “The Three Graces” plays on the idea of the Longhorn labels. Her CD, Songs of three instruments in the ensemble and California: Music for Winds and Piano, was Muir’s own reference to Greek mythology, nominated for the 10th Independent Music or the goddesses of charm, beauty, and Awards. Jenni is the recipient of numerous creativity. I loved the idea that these trees other awards including the Sorel Medallion, might stand next to each other, yet the American Prize for Choral Composition, separately, for years, but eventually their the Women Composers Festival of Hartford trunks will touch and meld together. Each International Composition Competition, instrument takes its turn becoming part of and the Bassoon Chamber Music this conglomeration by leaving the tutti Composition Competition. She is published staccato patterns with a held note and then by Boosey & Hawkes, Imagine, Graphite, launching into the melody while the other TrevCo, Santa Barbara Music Publishing, two continue the staccato pattern of Jenni Brandon Music, and Pavane growth. Finally in “The Noble Trees” the Publishing. Visit jennibrandon.com. instruments play a hymn‐like tribute to the For the Vientos Trio The Sequoia Trio for Oboe, Clarinet, and Bassoon I. Sequoiadendron giganteum: The Big Tree "Southward the giants become more and more irrepressibly jubilant, heaving their massive crowns into the sky from every ridge and slope, waving onward in graceful compliance with the complicated topography of the region." - John Muir, The Yosemite, 1912 Music by q=60 Waving gracefully Jenni Brandon 3 3 3 3 3 3 Oboe p 3 3 mp3 3 p 3 3 Clarinet in Bb p mp p Bassoon p cresc. 4 3 3 3 3 3 3 Ob. 3 3 3 3 3 3 mp mp mf cresc. Cl. mp mp cresc. 3 333 mf cresc. Bsn. mp mf cresc. A 8 Ob. 3333 f mf Cl. 3333 3333 f Bsn. f Copyright © 2008 Jenni Brandon www.jennibrandon.com 2 a tempo molto rit. 11 Ob. 3333 3 3 33 3 3 Cl. 3 3 3333 Bsn. 15 Ob. 333333 33 33 333 3 33 Cl. Bsn. Continue to play individual lines in unmetered fashion, fading away at the end. ca. 10 seconds 18 Ob. mf ppp Cl. ppp mf Bsn. a tempo mf ppp 21 B Seeds Ob. mf 3 3333 3 Cl. mp Bsn. mp 3333 3 3 26 3 Ob. 6 3 cresc. 6 f 3 3 3 Cl. cresc. f Bsn. 333 3 cresc. 3 f dim. 30 C with some freedom Ob. Cl. Bsn. 3 36 33 3 3 mf mf cresc. f Broaden 34 a tempo Ob. 3 3 3 Cl. mp 3 Bsn. 3 3 dim. 6 mp 3 a tempo 39 D Ob. f 3 3 33 Cl. f 333 333 Bsn. f 4 42 Ob. 6 6 Cl. 66 Bsn. 6 cresc. 6 44 E Slowly Meno mosso Ob. cresc. 6 ff Cl. cresc. ff 6 6 33 Bsn. ff sub. p 48 Ob. p 3 ppp pp 3 Cl. p pp ppp Bsn. pp ppp Tree Interlude One 5 To be performed before Movement II q=88 Swing Clarinet in Bb mf 4 3 f 3 5 mf f 8 attacca Mvt. II 3 3 3 f p sub. p cresc. 6 II. "A crowd of hopeful young trees and saplings..." "But here for every old storm-beaten giant there are many in their prime and for each of these a crowd of hopeful young trees and saplings, growing vigorously on moraines, rocky ledges, along water courses and meadows." - John Muir, The Yosemite, 1912 q=100 Playful youth Oboe Swing Clarinet in Bb mf Bassoon mf 4 Ob. Straight 3 * Cl. 3 3 f Bsn. *Smear 8 Swing Ob. mf 3 Cl. 3 6 Bsn. 3 7 11 Straight Ob. cresc. f Cl. f Bsn. cresc. f 16 Swing rit. Ob. dim. p Swing Cl. dim. p Swing Bsn. dim. p 19 accel. q=112 With groove Ob. Cl. Straight 3 Bsn. mf 22 Swing Ob. Swing p Cl. 3 mf 3 3 3 Bsn. 8 25 Ob. mf 33 33 Cl. 3 Bsn. 28 Ob. Cl. Swing 3 Bsn. 31 Straight Ob. sub. p poco a poco cresc. f Straight Cl. sub. p poco a poco cresc. f Straight Bsn. sub. poco a poco cresc. p f 35 Ob. Cl. Bsn. 9 40 Swing Ob. 5 Swing 3 Cl. Bsn. 44 poco a poco accel. Ob. 3 3 sub. p poco a poco cresc. 3 Cl. 3 sub. p poco a poco cresc. Bsn. sub. p poco a poco cresc. 48 q=126 Straight Ob. f Straight Cl. f Bsn. f 53 poco a poco accel. attacca Swing Straight Ob. sub. pp poco a poco cresc. Swing Straight Cl. sub. pp poco a poco cresc. Straight Swing Bsn. sub. pp poco a poco cresc. 10 III. The Three Graces "Groups of two or three (sequoias) are often found standing close together...They are called "loving couples," "three graces," etc... By the time they are full-grown their trunks will touch and crowd against each other..." -John Muir, The Yosemite, 1912 q=132-144 Oboe mp Clarinet in Bb mp Bassoon mp 6 A Ob. Cl. Bsn. mf 11 Ob. Cl. .