Ghosts of Aeolian Hall

GHOSTS OF AEOLIAN HALL is a set of four miniatures for solo clarinet, each uniquely based on the famous opening clarinet excerpt from George Gershwin’s Rhapsody in Blue. The first movement is meant to convey the young clarinetist tuning the radio to hear the Paul Whiteman Palais Royal Orchestra broadcasting the Rhapsody. The second movement is the aspiring clarinetist alone in the practicing room, either day dreaming or noodling on the piano: both of which we are all guilty of. The third movement is the anxious clarinetist waiting backstage, feeling nervous and jittery until the tuning note is given at the last suspenseful moment. The final movement is our clarinetist, on stage, confidently beginning the piece with the famous trill and glissando (or at least an abstract look at the two).

Practice Room Lullaby

Nervous in the Wings

Playing the Ross Gorman Lick