Work : View of the Blues


Composer : Gordon Lewin http://www.brasswindpublications.co.uk/acatalog/Lewin.html


Difficulty Ranking : III


Publisher : Boosey & Hawkes Music Publishers, Ltd.


Year Published : 1986


Instrumentation : 2 Bb Clarinets


Potential Pedagogical Applications : Intonation (interval, unison, octave), articulation and phrase matching, ensemble mechanics, idiomatic jazz and blues styles (harmony, melody, rhythm), extended techniques (pitch bending, glissando)


Sample Recording : https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K8DWI5Kz3Ww


Where to Purchase Sheet Music : http://boosey.epartnershub.com/Views-Of-The-Blues-9939.aspx


Annotation : This work by Lewin features idiomatic writing in the style of jazz and blues. View of the Blues incorporates pitch bending and glissando to further stylize the music. the range extends to F4 on a few notes, but overall it spends most of its time in the clarion and chalumeau registers. The most challenging aspect of the piece is the idiomatic jazz and blues writing to which students do not have much exposure. This work could be used to teach students about jazz and blues forms and styles.