Don El Bonzo’s Quirk Step

2004    Dur. 3:09    Stereo

In 2004 The Caliban Quartet offered me a commission to write a march for bassoon quartet + drum set. I jumped at the opportunity because I love the bassoon and I love marches. And I love combining things that aren’t normally found together (like bassoons and marches, for example).   

It also gave me a chance to write for one of my favourite wind instruments, the contrabassoon, played magnificently here by Fraser Jackson.

This piece was premiered in November 2004 at a concert in The Chapel, Royal St. George’s College (Toronto) as part of the Royal Conservatory of Music’s “Great Artist Series”.

Disclaimer: please don’t attempt to actually march to this music; there are occasional irregular metres throughout the piece (7/4, 5/4 and 3/4) which would require fancy footwork. Be warned, these are tripping hazards!