foxglove

---

Instrumentation: bassoon and piano

Duration: 7'

Program Note:

Foxglove, or Latin digitalis, is characterized by its tall stalk and tubular flowers, which grow purple, pink, and white. While beautiful, the flower is invasive to Washington and is toxic to ingest. Foxglove grows in my town and is always a sign that summer is starting. This piece for bassoon and piano is light, elegant, and playful in sections, but it is also winding, angular, and harsh in others, like the foxglove. The work begins with a free-time cadenza introduction. The music that follows is constructed from three main sections, with each section having been derived from a different part of the introduction. The first of these sections is sharp and angular, taken from the beginning of the cadenza. featuring lots of interplay between the soloist and the accompaniment. The second section is a floating lyrical section based on the descending theme from the introduction. The music suspends as the soloist seductively plays over piano clusters. And the third section is a playful scherzo section based on a winding four-note motif from the introduction. These contrasting sections are woven together to form the body of the piece, and each motif will make appearances in each section.