Topaz Nocturne

This clarinet and piano work has roots in blues and jazz. It is elegiac and tender and has several opportunities for optional cadenzas for both players. These are opportunities for the instrumentalists to contribute their own thoughts to this composition. In these cases, the cadenzas should basically honor the harmonic structure as written initially and then, as desired, contribute music that observes the character of the work and provides an appropriate lead-in to the measure that follows each cadenza. The performance time without the cadenzas is approximately 4:15 m:s. The full score is used by the pianist and contains a reduced clarinet part at concert pitch. This meditative piece is written in memory of Topaz, The Grey Duchess of Shoreline. She was the beloved feline companion of my friend Scott Kovacs. I knew Topaz (I was one of her people), and her smokey, bluesy voice reminded me of woodwinds. She is missed by her many friends. A recording of this work can be found on YouTube. Search for "donald skirvin topaz nocturne" (without the quotation marks) and scroll through the list until you find Topaz Nocturne and my name.