Bundles of Sticks

The unique combination of bassoon and percussion/marimba/vibraphone creates many dark and “woody” colors as suggested by the title of the first movement, “Wood and Wind.” This movement explores the lyric qualities of the bassoon in its upper register. The second movement is a rhythmically animated dialog between the percussion and bassoon.

Program Notes

The title is taken from the Italian word for bassoon, Fagotto which literally means "bundle of sticks." This piece was commissioned by Barrick Stees, professor of bassoon at Michigan State University and premiered by Mr. Stees and Keith Aleo at the Interlochen Center for the Arts summer music festival in the summer of 1998. The unique combination of bassoon and percussion/marimba/vibraphone creates many dark and "woody" colors as suggested by the title of the first movement, "Wood and Wind." This movement explores the lyric qualities of the bassoon in its upper register. The second movement is a rhythmically animated diolog between the percussion and bassoon. The low register punctuations in the bassoon are reminiscent of the percussive baritone saxophone playing of Steve (the "Doctor") Kupka of the Tower of Power horn section.

Grade Level: 4
Copyright: 1997
Number of Players: 2
Duration: 6:00

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Instrumentation

Bassoon
Percussion (kick bass drum, low tom, 2 log drums, low timbale, bongos, large cowbell, brake drum, bamboo tree, splash cymbal, gliss gong, marimba (4.3 octaves), vibraphone)