Relationship (2018)
for Clarinet and Violin, 11'
Commissioned by and dedicated to Osmo Vänskä and Erin Keefe
World premiere: Seattle Chamber Music Society, July 20, 2020
World premiere: Seattle Chamber Music Society, July 20, 2020
I. The Meeting
II. Connection
III. The Argument(s)
IV. Ballad
V. Finale: Hora
II. Connection
III. The Argument(s)
IV. Ballad
V. Finale: Hora
Relationship (2018) for Violin and Clarinet is dedicated to the wonderful couple Erin Keefe and Osmo Vänskä. Set in five brief and self-explanatory movements, the work portrays a relationship from its inception to a finale celebratory wedding dance, with plenty of tenderness and contention in between. Knowing Osmo and Erin for a few years now, I did my best to capture their unique dynamic, from its fun-loving nature to some raw, brutal honesty. There are musical depictions of their initials throughout, and the Finale combines quotes from the Finnish national anthem with “American” sonorities to showcase their respective roots.
- Michael Stephen Brown