In the early months of the pandemic, Daniel Zlatkin reached out to me as he was revising his work for solo oboe and offstage cello, Troubadour. Some of you may remember that Daniel and I worked together before on his piece for Vanguard, Out of Bodies! Troubadour's two movementsshow a great contrast in the capabilities of the oboe, from fast passages and multiphonics in the first movement to beautiful lyrical lines in the second movement.
Here are Daniel's notes about the piece:
The oboist takes on the role of a mysterious troubadour. While the first movement is both joking and sinister, the second is a goodbye. The musician's ancient and grinning spirit fades into oblivion. An invisible companion aids his final journey.
Big thanks to Daniel Kaler for providing the "offstage" cello in the second movement!
~ Sagar
Vanguard Reed Quintet returns to First Presbyterian Church of Ypsilanti on April 19 for an evening of reed quintet music exploring ideas of nature, mythology, and storytelling!