Ultan: Curved Mirrors for Oboe, Clarinet, and Piano

Code: JP5002
ISMN: 979-0-3019-0472-5

A 2-movement composition for oboe, clarinet and piano: the first exploiting instrumental colors and rhapsodic material and the second, virtuoso technique for all three instruments. Curved Mirrors was composed at the Rockefeller Study and Conference Center in Bellagio, Italy, in 1994. The center is the Villa Serbelloni which sits on grounds with structures and ruins dating from the 10th century, on top of a small mountain over the town of Bellagio, at the confluence of Lakes Como and Lecco. Situated as it is, the approach to the Villa is a snake-like winding road with some very sharp curves some of which do not allow for an unobstructed view of the road ahead. At a few of these turns are 'curved mirrors' sturdily mounted on columns to allow the driver to see around the corner. The sturdy appearance of these mirrors, the very active imaging they provide of the landscape, and the clarity of their appearance and function all contributed to the composer's conception of the composition. Duration: 10.75 minutes.

This work has been recorded by Fiati. Both the music and the recording are available from Jeanne, Inc.

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