Twenty-two
To add an easy-to-learn, very flexible piece to the program of Clarinet Ensemble Lignum, I wrote Twenty-two. The title clearly refers to John Cage's later number pieces, although mine is a bit different in concept.
Twenty-two can be played by any number of players but there are 22 parts, which are to be distributed among the players at random. Smaller ensembles play a more 'transparent' version, larger ensembles a more dense version. Because the instrumentation is free, parts are both transposing as non-transposing. Played on a clarinet, a part will sound with different pitches when compared to the same part played by an oboe or a double bass. Anyone can join! And if played once is not enough, it can be repeated (ad infinitum) but it won't sound the same twice (well, at least not for a very long time) for all parts will shift in time from each other.