Variations for the Right Hand-SOLO BSN

Variations for the Right Hand
for solo bassoon
by Mike Curtis (b. 1952)- American composer

Variations for the Right Hand, written in the summer of 1999, was a composition project born out of adversity. Restricted from the use of his left arm by a bout of tendonitis, the composer took the challenge of writing for a bassoonist limited to only one limb. In exploring the restriction to only 9 of the bassoon's usual 36 written tones, unexpected emotive qualities were uncovered in the false fingerings, multiphonics, and microtonal trills that emerged. The Variations present the potential of the bassoon, with one hand tied behind the back, to reveal a variety of styles and moods.