Ian Deterling

The goblin march low clarinet quartet

The Goblin March, Op. 1 (2012)

  • low clarinet quartet/ensemble

  • ca. 4:30

Score/Parts Preview

Notes

  • I composed The Goblin March in 2012 as a collection of works for my senior composition recital at the University of Wisconsin-Superior. Originally conceived as an electric bass quintet, this piece was a partial exploration of interlocking phrasing that causes the melody to flick back and forth across the ensemble. I preserved many of these spacial effects in subsequent adaptations/revisions.

  • The majority of this piece is constructed from a repeating melody that ‘marches’ atop two oscillating chords. As the march progresses, the melody evolves with changing rhythms, registers, and harmonies. The middle atonal section (measures 57-77) makes use of a separate repeating melody with angular shifts that depict the ominous whims of a goblin.

  • A fun and light-hearted quartet, The Goblin March was inspired by the cartoon adaptation of The Return of the King (1980). Spirited rhythms with a deliberately plotting bass line evoke images of armor-cladded goblins marching away into the distance.

Instrumentation:

  • Bass Clarinet 1 (also available for Alto Clarinet)

  • Bass Clarinet 2

  • Bass Clarinet 3

  • Bass Clarinet 4 (also available for Contra Alto Clarinet and Contrabass Clarinet)

Low Eb/Low C

  • Note - Bass Clarinets 1-3 do not go below a Low Eb

  • Bass Clarinet 4 goes down to a Low C

Score and complete set of parts.