Vivaldi Plays a Bar Mitzvah Gig (2004)

for chamber ensemble

​

Instrumentation: B♭ Clarinet, Alto Saxophone, Trumpet in C, Cello, Contrabass, Piano, and Drum Set. ​​

​

Duration: 3 minutes​

​

Program Notes

In an imaginative scene with Antonin Vivaldi, Spring from The Four Seasons is transformed into a Klezmer style. In this playful musical mashup, a familiar fragment of Vivaldi’s beloved concerto takes an unexpected turn, reimagined as though the great Baroque composer had landed a gig at a bar mitzvah. Blending the elegance of the Baroque with the festive spirit of Jewish musical tradition–complete with clarinet cadenzas and passionate cello solos– with the piece building toward its inevitable conclusion: a lively rendition of the quintessential celebration song, “Hava Nagila.”

​

The work was originally conceived as a set of variation pieces based on the music of The Probably Untrue Story of Mary (who) Had a Little Lamb to accompany the 26-minute work on the 2005 album. This brief standalone work for mixed chamber ensemble demonstrates the possibilities of variations across styles and traditions.

​

​