Inspired by the ambiguous 1922 artwork by Swiss-German painter Paul Klee, this dark music depicts a struggle between nature and machine. A haunting melody slowly transforms as the machine around it grows (represented by a series of layered percussion sounds). A deeply rich and powerful work for young bands that invites many opportunities for cross-curricular discussion.
This outstanding pair of contrasting movements moves from a plaintive and pleading Larghetto to an Allegro with all the cheer and sparkle one can imagine. An exceptional opportunity to work on the music of Handel while providing a wealth of opportunities for musical development! (5:15)
The vivid imagery of "little critters" scurrying about at night inspires the melodic lines and creative harmonies used throughout this programmatic work. Beginning soft and mischievous, the music builds as new critters join the fun in a playful dialogue. The harmonic language moves between moments of pleasant consonance and slight dissonance (because as we all know, some people love little critters and some people are terrified of them!). A highly imaginative, playable work! (Grade 1, Dur 2:15)