Description
CANE: Bassoon Concerto with Reed Quintet by Jenni Brandon
Take a look at the SCORE
Instrumentation
Solo Bassoon
Oboe
Clarinet in B-flat
Alto Saxophone
Bass Clarinet
Bassoon
Two equal pieces of cane, played like claves (5 sets)
Sanding blocks with sand paper (3 sets)
Approximate duration: 24 minutes
Co-commissioned by Dr. Christin Schillinger and the Akropolis Reed Quintet
The first concerto of its kind, Cane tells a dramatic story of one bassoon reed’s journey from its origins as raw, organic cane, to the final joy of playing on the finished reed. The colors of the reed quintet and the virtuosic solo bassoon intermingle in this through-composed piece to take the listener through this vivid experience. Rhythm, lyrical lines, extended techniques, Afro-Cuban style music, jazz and fugue join together to remind us that this is an organic process. From making reeds to making music, we come together to create performance. Ever changing and ever evolving, every reed and every performance is unique, and Cane promises to tell this story in a powerful and exciting new way.
There are several sections in this through-composed work, taking us on a journey that is the life of a bassoon reed:
- Split: Short and percussive, like splitting cane
- Gouge: Rhythmic, steady and driving. Removing and leaving….
- Shape
- Profile: Mechanical, with a little bit of mischief
- Form: The can becomes a reed (Internal/external sounds of transition)
- Scrape: In the style of Afro-Cuban music
- Playing the reed: Swing, sassy; thoughtful, reflective; with reverence; the reed plays…
Performance by Akropolis Quintet with Monica Ellis, bassoon soloist
Imani Winds Chamber Music Festival
Mannes School of Music, The New School
New York City
July 20, 2019
Premiere Performances include:
Ithaca 
College Women in Music Festival, March 8, 2019 – The Limitless Collective
International Double Reed Society Conference –
University of South Florida – July 2019 – The Limitless Collective
Imani Winds Festival – Mannes School of Music –
The New School – Monica Ellis, bassoon solo and
Akropolis Reed Quintet – July 20th, 2019
Mannes School of Music – The New School
New York City
