Performed By: Tim Deighton, viola; Carrie Koffman, saxophone

Movements:
I. Rapidfire II. Traige III. Rapidfire with Bodran

Instrumentation:
Alto saxophone, cello (alternate viola part in place of cello available from LL.)

Duration: 13 minutes

Commissioned By:
Paul Bro, Kurt Fowler, and The University Arts Endowment Committee, Indiana State University

Premiere:
Friday, November 1, 2002 Paul Bro, saxophone; Kurt Fowler, cello 36th Annual Contemporary Music Festival, Indiana State University

Available From:
Oxford University Press, Cat. No. 9780193868427. Distributed in the USA through Goodmusic Publishing.

Composer's Notes:

Bid Call resulted from the investigation that saxophonist Paul Bro and I have of finding musical form in American language traditions. In the last piece that Paul and I collaborated on, Holy Roller, we looked at the revivalist preacher's musical form. However, I had been studying auctioneering patter for a long time, and it suddenly dawned on me that our new piece should explore auctioneering patter. In the auction business they call it “bid call” and people train a long time to develop their own patter and style. So, this piece is all about auctioneers’ styles, pitches, timing, and complex and wonderful rhythms.

I would like to thank Dale Newton for his creativity and guidance in developing new techniques for the violoncello.

-Libby Larsen

Purchase viola part

Additional Information:
The recording of the viola version is available on the CD The Irrelevants.

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Purchase printed score