Blues for D.D. - CL/PN

Blues for D.D.
for clarinet and piano
by Jeffrey Agrell - American composer and hornist

ABOUT THE MUSIC

Blues for D.D. was written for oboe virtuoso Diana Doherty at her request; later a version for clarinet and piano was made at the request of Swiss clarinet virtuoso Bernhard Röthlisberger. It starts slow and easy, and then takes off, transmogrifying the blues through sections of catchy swing, lilting Latin, and blistering bebop before crashing to earth with a nearly three octave chromatic swoop and concluding with a sassy bit of tongue in cheek.

The piece was designed to be fun to play and fun to listen to, and to test the outer limits of the possible in technique. Thus, the principal requirements for undertaking this piece are a sense of humor and technique better than God. The Blues is a clarinetist’s Everest. The pianist is perhaps the musical sherpa accompanying the adventurer, but the clarinet must climb the whole way themself, and only an elite few are capable of making it to the top. A live performance of Blues for D.D. is a breathless and thrilling experience for all concerned.

ABOUT THE COMPOSER

Jeffrey Agrell was horn professor at The University of Iowa School of Music 2000-2021 after a first career as professional symphony musician. He has won awards as both a writer and composer, with dozens of compositions published, recorded, and performed worldwide, plus over one hundred articles and nine books, including Improvisation Games for Classical Musicians (2008) & Vol. II (2016).