FRANK STEMPER, COMPOSER
Easy Mad (2002)
for clarinet and alto sax [6 mins.]
Commissioned by saxophonist Todd Rewoldt
Premiered 27 April 2002 by Marie and Todd Rewoldt at the Eastman School of Music
Opus 46 — A.S.C.A.P. work I.D. 351341194
SCORE
Premiered 27 April 2002 by Marie and Todd Rewoldt at the Eastman School of Music
Opus 46 — A.S.C.A.P. work I.D. 351341194
SCORE
NOTES
EASY MAD was commissioned by Todd Rewoldt and his former wife, a clarinetist, and they premiered it in 2003 at the Eastman School. Then some other duos picked it up and performed it in various places around the globe. It’s a pretty hard piece, so I’m thankful that they thought enough of it to "give it a whirl" as my mother might say.
My mom had a lot expressions. "Easy Mad” was one of them. Some days she’d say it often. She was almost apologetic when she said it, as if she couldn’t help getting mad so easily, she just did. And I think it also made her mad that she got mad, and so easily. So she’d get “easy mad” at whatever, then she’d get “easy mad” because she got “easy mad!”
But really, who doesn’t, especially when we’re alone — “%@#*%&” Our temperature rises and we curse every little thing. But we also do this when we’re around our loved ones. And this piece, being a duet, is about the relationship between two folks who really know each other well. We almost feel alone when we’re with people whom we love and trust, and who already know that we can get “easy Mad” on occasion. I asked my dad once why we treat strangers so cordially but often treat those we love so badly. In his infinite and flippant wisdom, he responded “because, with our loved ones, we can get away with it.”
Our loved ones understand us. They often know what we want or what are going to say before we say it. We often finish each other’s sentences. Together we laugh at non-existent thoughts that only we can understand. We know how to push each other’s buttons, but also what causes the other the most happiness. With our loved ones we are easily passionate with our affection, but we are also passionate about being “easy mad.”
EASY MAD was commissioned by Todd Rewoldt and his former wife, a clarinetist, and they premiered it in 2003 at the Eastman School. Then some other duos picked it up and performed it in various places around the globe. It’s a pretty hard piece, so I’m thankful that they thought enough of it to "give it a whirl" as my mother might say.
My mom had a lot expressions. "Easy Mad” was one of them. Some days she’d say it often. She was almost apologetic when she said it, as if she couldn’t help getting mad so easily, she just did. And I think it also made her mad that she got mad, and so easily. So she’d get “easy mad” at whatever, then she’d get “easy mad” because she got “easy mad!”
But really, who doesn’t, especially when we’re alone — “%@#*%&” Our temperature rises and we curse every little thing. But we also do this when we’re around our loved ones. And this piece, being a duet, is about the relationship between two folks who really know each other well. We almost feel alone when we’re with people whom we love and trust, and who already know that we can get “easy Mad” on occasion. I asked my dad once why we treat strangers so cordially but often treat those we love so badly. In his infinite and flippant wisdom, he responded “because, with our loved ones, we can get away with it.”
Our loved ones understand us. They often know what we want or what are going to say before we say it. We often finish each other’s sentences. Together we laugh at non-existent thoughts that only we can understand. We know how to push each other’s buttons, but also what causes the other the most happiness. With our loved ones we are easily passionate with our affection, but we are also passionate about being “easy mad.”