Varietals was written as a work for solo trombone and piano in 2012 at the request of my friend and colleague, Natalie Mannix. I had originally conceived the piece to be a series of vignettes based on 19th century Italian opera, but soon latched on to an idea to create musical portraits based on the characteristics of wine grapes. The movements range from bold to sentimental to lively and can be described as such:

Opening - Barolo

Barolo is bold and powerful, often referred to as the “king of wines,” and comes from the Piedmont region of Italy. This movement begins with a strong fanfare motive built on ascending perfect fourths, and that idea continues into the first of two interlocking themes. Meanwhile, the piano complements the solo trombone with a jocular ostinato based on consecutive fifths. The musical characteristics of the opening movement are boisterous, dry, and rather aggressive.

Intermezzo - Toscana

Toscana, another red varietal, is more smooth and velvety, and hails (as its name suggests) from the area of Tuscany. For this movement I wanted something heartfelt, sentimental and without artifice. It begins with a recitative meant to evoke the style of Verdi or Puccini, and the main theme is based on an orchestral passage that appears in the second act of the opera "Tosca."

Tarantella - Verduzzo

Verduzzo is a golden wine grape, with a rich, sweet flavor redolent of melons and honey. I chose the form of the Tarantella for this movement in order to close the work with a rousing climax. The Tarantella is a frantic dance once believed to counter the effects of a tarantula bite (though in all likelihood, it had exactly the opposite effect). There are two themes in play, one in F major and another in B minor, and the piece ends in an exhilarating rush of energy.

The wind ensemble arrangement is scored for the following instrumentation:

Solo Trombone

Flute

Oboe

Clarinets 1-3

Bass Clarinet

Bassoon

Horns 1-2

Trumpet

Trombone

Tuba

Double Bass

Timpani

Percussion

(Snare Dr., Vibraslap, Whip, Bells, Bongo, Chimes, Wood Blocks, Cr. Cym)