Howl

Howl was written for Charles Neidich and the Pro Arte String Quartet. The work is in three movements and was somewhat inspired by the poem of Allen Ginsberg, not so much the content, but the long lyrical line created in the work. This long line is recreated by the clarinet with the strings providing an active underpinning. His poem has been referred to as a kind of 'litany of praise' and the second movement becomes the litany, with the clarinet acting as 'Vox Dei', the voice of God. The third movement returns to the musical subject matter of the first, this time with the bass clarinet taking on the virtuosic role.