Trio for Flute, Oboe and Clarinet by Tony Bridgewater
Score and parts
III. Vivace
I wrote my Trio for Flute, Oboe and Clarinet following on from the success of my previous ‘Quintet for Winds’ written in 2018. There are three movements. The first, Andante con Moto, is a passionate slow movement, in which long phrased, expressive melodies are passed between the three instruments, building to a high point in the central section. The opening ideas are reprised, then, once more, the music grows to a climax, featuring chromatically coloured harmonies, before dying away in the final melodic phrases of the clarinet. The second movement, Allegretto Grazioso, has a gently lilting melody, again shared by all the instruments. The accompaniment is light and staccato, and there are playful rhythmic moments alternating between 10/8 and 8/8. The middle section of this movement is very different, with a smooth, elegaic melody above still, calm chords. This then gradually transitions back to the lilting rhythms of the opening, and it finally becomes slower and quieter through a short coda. The last movement ‘Vivace’ opens with a fanfare like idea, which is developed by all the instruments. It is in the form of a rondo, and there are two contrasting episodes with more lyrical, flowing melodies, before the final return of the rondo theme leads to an exciting coda.
