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.
