The Clarinet Quintet represents “Yesterday” and is a musical portrait of one of Beethoven’s most significant patrons, and her husband, from his early years in Vienna to his last years. Thus is why the work is written in a strict 4 movement format, as described below, and employing the basic harmonies that all composers used in what is called the “classical” period in which both Beethoven and Mozart lived and worked.
The only departure from this format is my use of jazz rhythms, as you may hear. I wrote my Clarinet Quintet in strict classical format of 4 movements, 1st Movt. Sonata Form, exposition (2 melodies), development & recapitulation2nd Movt Adagio (slow & melodic)3rd Movt. Minuet & Trio4th Movt. Rondo (fast).Both works also have strong elements off jazz in them.The images that accompany the music provide continuing images both of Beethoven’s patrons and of the Vienna of that time.
Please enjoy studio performance by John Gould, Irene Donohoe, Jane Hazelwood, David Pereira and Alan Vivian playing Strahan’s Clarinet Quintet
And now a warning: Times have changed since the days of classical music when composers were supported in their work by wealthy lovers of music. In their place are cliques who represent academia. Away from them the creative arts are like farming. An inverted pyramid. On top are those who process, distribute and sell product, and they have organisations and people representing them and all such profit from the business. On the bottom are those who grow (create) the produce/product and sell for little or nothing in return. And are supposed to do it for love! Oh well. Try asking your local brain surgeon to remove your tumor for love, not money. Doesn’t take much brain to guess his response.
Where there is a feudal lord, you would expect to find serfs. The true serfs in the film world are not the film crew, who are artisans being paid to do a job, and who don't regard the film as being in any way their property. The true serfs are the writer and composer who, under common law, begin by owning their own work, a product now defined in law as intellectual property! It only remains the creator‘s property if the creator becomes a producer, or co-producer.