Six Mycological Miniatures

Six Mycological Miniatures is a set of six short character pieces each written based on a different fungus. The first movement is based on poison fire coral, a highly toxic fungus native to Japan and Korea. In order to reflect the danger of this fungus as well as its bright color, the first movement is unpredictable, uneven, and played at breakneck speed. The second movement portrays the luminescent panellus. This fungus looks ordinary during the day, but at night it glows bright green. This movement employs the acoustic scale and the natural seventh partial on the horn to depict this fungus's otherworldly but organic quality. The third movement is based on the button mushroom. The button mushroom is one of the most commonly found mushrooms in the world, and is cultivated and eaten by many cultures. There is just something cute about button mushrooms, and this awkward dance movement seeks to portray that quality. The fourth movement depicts the zombie-ant fungus. This fungus infects ants, and kills them from the inside over the course of a few days. In its final stages, the fungus bursts from the ant's head and releases spores into the air. The mindless trudging of the infected ant is portrayed by the bassoon's insistent quarter notes, while its internal panic is depicted by the anguished lines played by the flute and oboe. The fifth movement is based on the common puffball. This adorable fungus is represented by a jaunty 6/8 dance, which includes mischievous interruptions from the oboe and horn. The sixth and final movement depicts the "humongous fungus." This fungus is thought to be the largest living organism on Earth, taking up 3.7 square miles of land in Oregon. Its vastness is portrayed by soaring runs in the clarinet and flute and open fifths in the horn and bassoon.