Taxonomy


Sound Files

Elaphe
Naja
Lampropeltus
Crotalus

Scores

Elaphe
Naja
Lampropeltus
Boidae
Crotalus
Performance Notes for Crotalus (pdf)


Program Notes

Taxonomy is a work consisting of short movements for flute and clarinet, each documenting the characteristics of a particular snake genus. The ratsnakes of the genus elaphe have little in the way of defense, other than optical patterns on their backs that blur when they crawl fast.  Elaphe, like the backs of the snakes it is named for, makes use of a repeated pattern, this time sonic rather than optic.  This pattern is presented alone in the clarinet but later blurred by heterophonic flute gestures.  These flute gestures become the next pattern, which in turn is “blurred” by the clarinet.  Throughout the work the listener, like a snake-eating predator, should be confused as to whom is doing what.  Naja is the named for the genus for cobras, the elegant hooded snakes known for their powerfully nuero-toxic venom. When displaying their hoods, cobras momentarily hold themselves erect and then gracefully topple over, depicted here by melodic lines that rise and fall.  A reoccurring "gasping" motive (a pitch articulated twice with space in between) serves as a cadence as well as a portrayal of paralyzed breathing caused by the cobra's venom.  Lampropeltus is the genus to which milksnakes and kingsnakes belong. Although kingsnakes are, to humans, harmless constrictors, they are known for eating other (sometimes venomous) snakes. This movement of Taxonomy uses that characteristic for its compositional basis. Similar musical lines chase and devour each other throughout this quick and slippery piece.  Boids are boas and pythons.  They least evolved.  They primitive and slow… like piece about boids.  Stravinsky also primitive.  Ooog.  Crotalus offers commentary on the highly evolved, very specialized, uniquely American, rattlesnakes.  There is some hissing and rattling (no maracas!) but mainly the piece is as funky as a pair of snake-skin boots, though this movement and the rest are completely cruelty-free.

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