Work : Bulgarian Bat Bite


Composer : Mike Curtis http://www.mikecurtismusic.com/Bio.html


Difficulty Ranking : IV


Publisher : Advance Music


Year Published : 2004


Commission : Quartetto Italiano di Clarinetti


Instrumentation : 3 Bb Clarinets and 1 Bass Clarinet


Potential Pedagogical Applications : Articulation matching, intonation (octave, unison, and chordal), ensemble mechanics, phrase matching and handoffs, solo passages, five-eight time, frequent metric shifts, extended techniques (mouthpiece/bottom joint playing)


Sample Recording : https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HeCy3Xup_pQ


Where to Purchase Sheet Music : http://www.sheetmusicplus.com/title/bulgarian-bat-bite-sheet-music/17446542


Annotation : Adapted from an early duet by Mike Curtis, Bulgarian Bat Bite showcases the composer’s Balkan influences. The work utilizes frequent metric shifts alongside its klezmer ornamentation (pitch bends, trills, and gracenotes). The range of the is moderate and does not exceed E 4 . There is a passage near the middle of this piece that requires clarinets one and two to perform with the mouthpiece in the lower half of the clarinet. This in addition to the frequent metric shifts can be overwhelming for many intermediate students.