Child and Tribulations

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Performed by a Michigan State University chamber group in March 18, 2005

The current fourth movement of this piece was originally composed in 2002 as a trio under the same title as the movement. In 2005, I decided to create a suite based off of this movement and its original premise. On March 18, 2005, movements I, II, and IV were premiered for the first time as a three movement work. What is currently movement III was added in the fall of 2005.

The music is representative of a young boy or girl and their mischievousness and/or imagination.

Child and Tribulations

I. It Awakens (Prelude) – 2004

Stirring from a deep slumber, ‘it’ slowly emerges out of bed. A brooding movement based on motives from the second and fourth movements.

II. Razing the Neighborhood – 2005

Having jumped on their bike, the child begins to cause a ruckus. The thematic material of this movement is based  on the well-known childhood taunt of ‘I know something you don’t know.’

III. Rummaging Through Old Baskets – 2005

Baskets in the attic, long forgot hold a theme from childhoods past – ‘A-tisket, a-tasket’. Found in this basket is a new intriguing marionette.

IV. Marionette – 2002

After finding the marionette, the child plays out many fanciful scenes before ultimately growing tired of the new found toy – tossing it aside.
 
 
 
 
FROM THE ORIGINAL NOTES TO ‘MARIONETTE’:

Marionette is a short, episodic fan-fare for woodwind trio meant to portray a small child finding a wooden marionette that has been lying on the ground. After picking it up and quickly becoming acquainted with how to operate the puppet, the child starts to act out imaginary scenarios. Unfortunately, the attention span of a child is quite short and the marionette is flung to the side.