Felis Imperius (1997)

Scored for one each of flute, oboe, clarinet, bassoon, and percussion, with strings in 5 parts; about 8:25. $30 for score, parts, and demo recording; order here.  This is my tribute to Felis domesticus, the imperious household cat.  Certainly many of them (among those lucky enough to have homes) are treated like royalty.  I am indulging here in a bit of anthropomorphism, assuming they also see themselves as kings and queens of their domain. Loosely, the piece is a sonata form.  In the exposition the basic material is presented in a straightforward and uncluttered manner.  Melodies are short and terse; textures are thin and events often separated by silences.  I think of this section as the way in which we humans perceive the cat: nimble, inquisitive, mysterious, pensive, and (usually) quiet.  The development, concerns itself with modifications and re-workings of the material presented in the exposition.  The music is more pulsing, turbulent, and dramatic.  Here, in one of those rare moments when he's not sleeping, this de-clawed 8-pound freeloader imagines himself a Bengal tiger in the jungle... he stalks a dust bunny across the kitchen floor as if it were some unsuspecting antelope.  He chases various non-existent large herbivores and skirmishes with rivals for his territory.  He's having a rollicking good time, and it's all quite comical until the moment he mistakes one of your lace curtains for a tree.  The recapitulation brings back the textures and overall character of the exposition, with a few modifications and a concluding coda.  It's hard work living at the top of the food chain, and it's time for another nap.