Bagatelles (2006) by Allen Shearer
for flute and clarinet
World premiere

These seven duos for flute and clarinet are quite brief. They range from a minute to a minute and a half each. I began them as compositional studies in order to take stock of my own musical language, and also to practice some basic techniques such as inversion without having to struggle with a large form. Though there is no real thematic link between the movements, some prominent element of each connects with the beginning of the next. My instrumental music tends to be descriptive, but the Bagatelles are an exception. Some of them do chirp, but that seems to be my way with these instruments. I did not intend to evoke any pastoral associations.

My thanks to Tod Brody and Peter Josheff, for whom the piece was written.