This piece was composed in 2017 for Trent Jacobs (inventor of the Little-Jake pickup) and is one of the few pieces with orchestral accompaniment in this repertoire. The instrumentation of the orchestra is flute, clarinet, horn, percussion, harp, and strings.
There is little formal direction for the electronics of this piece. The composer states that the bassoonist should decide on what effects to use, but strive to maintain the character of each section of the piece. The main direction is that the opening section of the solo should be amplified, but without extra effects. In a recording of Trent Jacobs performing this piece he used some distortion effects, delays, harmonizers, reverb, and more subtle effects to alter the tone. One cadenza uses custom harmonies that likely are only possible with a pedal like the TC Helicon VoiceLive 3. The harmonies are not scale based; rather each input pitch creates different chord structures. This cadenza could either be skipped or maybe done with other harmonizers using less advanced harmonies.
Because of the directionality of amplifiers and speakers in general, the amplification can be tricky in a large concert hall. At minimum, two amps should be used and angled to cover the largest space in the hall. Alternatively, the amp could be captured with a microphone and put out through the house audio system or to other sound systems to cover a greater area.
A possible setup for this piece is shown below
This piece makes extensive use of the high register of the bassoon, ascending to high F. Frequently, the part is written in treble clef to make it easier to read. There are also some fast passages that may push this piece out of the reach of most undergraduate students. Improvisation is a major component of this piece; nearly every variation has the bassoon improvising alongside another improvisation "partner," which shifts throughout the orchestra. This allows a great deal of freedom for the performer to use new effects or to play what is within their technical abilities. While probably outside the grasp of undergraduate students, it would be a great option for graduate students and professionals.
Despite some extended techniques, this piece remains very accessible and would be enjoyable for any audience. Much of the melodic material is based on American folk material.
©2024 by Benjamin Bradshaw
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