Songs From The Family Archive
I. Sensitive
II. Lyrical, with rubato
III. Bubbling with exuberance
solo bassoon
duration: 6’45”
Celebrating the 30th anniversary of Estonian re-independence, Songs from the Family Archivewas commissioned by the Foundation for Estonian Arts and Letters for bassoonist Martin Kuuskmann, with additional support from the Estonian Students Fund in USA, and Siret Jyrison.
Program Notes:
The three short movements of “Songs From the Family Archive” are based on melodies from an archive collected by my great-grandfather, the composer, violinist, organist, and teacher August Kiiss, who travelled the Estonian countryside in the early years of the 20th century recording and transcribing folk songs. It was written for bassoonist Martin Kuuskmann.