Octet

An octet is a musical composition written for an ensemble consisting of eight instruments or voices. Octets in classical music are one of the largest groupings of chamber music. They tend to be scored in arrangements of just strings, winds or a combination of winds and strings. Octets in jazz usually include brass instruments (trumpet, trombone or saxophone) added to guitar, piano bass and drums.

In order to enhance clarity and texture I chose from all four "families" in the scoring: flute, clarinet and bassoon from the winds; trumpet and trombone from the brass; percussion; as well as violin and double bass from the strings.

The first movement is a rondo that unfolds lazy, sighing gestures contrasted with full ensemble declamations often in irregular meters. The second movement is a slow, lyrical fantasy that explores plaintive gestures, color modifications (wind multi-phonics; string harmonics and tremolos) and events which might be described as "anachronistic melodic juxtapositions" (past and future motives intersect). The third movement is a march in rounded binary form that features the brass instruments and wind solos over a "boogie-woogie" walking bass line.