Orchestra String Sextet,
Piano - Grade 2
SKU:
CF.YAS99F
Composed by
Larry Clark. FS SWS. Carl
Fischer Young String
Orchestra Series. Full
score. With Standard
notation. 12 pages.
Duration 3 minutes, 25
seconds. Carl Fischer
Music #YAS99F. Published
by Carl Fischer Music
(CF.YAS99F).
ISBN
9780825884191. UPC:
798408084196. 8.5 x 11
inches.
Dance of
the Harlequins is a
lively work that uses the
harmonic progression of
the famous Pachelbel
Canon as its foundation.
Larry Clark uses this
line as a jumping-off
point to create an
ingenuous work that shows
the many moods of the
Harlequin clown, from
joyous to
melodramatic.
When I
started to write this
piece I came up with the
main melody first, then I
harmonized it. In the
process of doing that I
realized that I was
composing a new piece
that was based on the
harmonic progression
found in the famous Canon
by Johann Pachelbel. At
first this sort of
worried me, but then by
doing a little research
on the famous canon, I
realized I was far from
alone. There is even an
incredibly funny YouTube
video called
“Pachelbel
Rant†where
comedian Rob Paravonian
points out many of the
usages of the chord
progression from
Pachelbel’s Canon
found in many
popular/rock songs. Watch
it if you get a chance it
is very funny! So, I
decided to forge ahead
and complete the
piece.After the main
theme begins without
introduction that
includes short
punctuations of the
harmony in the lower
strings, the main theme
is repeated with a
countermelody playedby
the violas. The cellos
then take up a new B
theme with the
countermelody to this
section covered by the
first violins. The main
theme with counter melody
is stated one more time
before it is followed by
a transition to a more
lyrical and augmented
theme that is first
presented in the violas.
This theme repeats now
with the melody in the
first violins and a
countermelody added in
the violas. One more
statement of the lyrical
section theme is
presented, but now the
celli state the original
main theme in
augmentation along with
the lyrical theme and
countermelody. This is
followed by an extended
transition that leads
back tot the B section
theme now presented in
the violins. After an
extended cadence and
build, the main theme
returns one last time
followed by a lively coda
to complete the
piece.There is something
about the use of this
famous chord progression
that just makes it feel
so right. I hope that I
did justice to it and
provided you and your
students with a musical
vehicle that will be
enjoyable and at the same
time educational.It has
been my pleasure to have
the opportunity to write
this piece. I hope you
and your students enjoy
it and find it useful for
your
program.—LARRY
CLARKLakeland, FL
2011.
About Carl
Fischer Young String
Orchestra
Series
Thi
s series of Grade 2/Grade
2.5 pieces is designed
for second and third year
ensembles. The pieces in
this series are
characterized
by:
--Occasionally
extending to third
position
--Keys
carefully considered for
appropriate
difficulty
--Addition
of separate 2nd violin
and viola
parts
--Viola T.C.
part
included
--Increase
in independence of parts
over beginning levels
Canon of Joy
