Cross Sections (2022)

for period wind ensemble (8min 30s)

Instrumentation:

Clarinet I, Clarinet II, Bassoon, Natural Horn (all instruments ca. 1800)

Cross Sections is built out of tiny cells of material that gradually unfold throughout the piece. These cells evolve to yield constantly shifting sound surfaces and surprising twists of mood. Written for an early 19th-century wind quartet of two clarinets, bassoon, and natural horn, this piece also pays an oblique homage to the intimate salon music culture in which these instruments would have been at home, through the earnest and intricate dialogue that features between parts. The music draws to a close in an unhurried, open-ended fashion, perhaps capturing the spirit of natural conversation.

I am grateful to Boxwood & Brass and the organisers of the Henfrey Prize for Composition 2021 for the opportunity to write for such a unique combination of instruments. I hope that this piece can in some way speak meaningfully to the rich historical traditions which the group embodies.

The first performance of Cross Sections was given by Boxwood & Brass at St. Catherine’s College, University of Oxford on 21 May 2022 as part of the Henfrey Prize for Composition 2021 concert. The work was subsequently awarded Special Commendation in the same competition.

— Tan Tiag Yi

Please contact me for a perusal copy of the score and a performance recording.