Thaw (score/parts) - REED5

Thaw
for reed quintet: oboe, clarinet, alto saxophone, bass clarinet & bassoon
by Becky Turro - American composer

From the Akropolis Quintet Collection

Program Notes
Thaw was inspired by a trip with my girlfriend to Acadia National Park, Maine in early March. Each movement is about a specific part of Acadia we encountered during our time in the national park.
The first movement, "Hyperborea," was inspired by Cadillac Mountain, scen in the aftermath of a snowstorm that arrived on our first day there. The second movement is titled "Echo Lake, which is also a place within Acadia. This movement begins with smooth, frozen texture that slowly thaws and melts away as the sun comes out. The third movement, titled "Kaleidoscope Cove," is the most flowing and bright, and characterizes the ocean dancing and crashing against the orange cliffs.
Chronologically, the movements move from frozen to melted, thawing into the arrival of spring.

A maverick of new wind music, Akropolis is committed to showcasing the vast possibilities of the reed quintet through our adventurous repertoire spanning over 400 years of musical history. Having premiered over 50 works for the unique combination of oboe, clarinet, saxophone, bass clarinet, and bassoon, Akropolis is devoted to expanding the existing reed quintet repertoire with imaginative arrangements and the continued development of new works by emerging and established composers.

From the dozens of professional reed quintets actively performing around the world, to the hundreds of student ensembles forming at universities around the United States alone, we hope this collection of our ever-growing repertoire continues to help inspire reed quintet growth around the globe. In the collection below, you’ll find works Akropolis has commissioned and arranged, plus works commissioned or arranged by other artists from around the world we consider important contributions to the standard repertoire of the reed quintet.