The Fish Piece (2020)
Technical Information:
Version 1:
violin, viola, cello, bass, piano
Version 2:
clarinet, violin, cello, piano
Duration: 6'
Commissioned by The Citadelle Art Museum
Premiered May 3, 2022
Connor Chaikowsky, violin
Jun Lu, violin
Isabelle Nichols, cello
James Palmer, piano
Program Note:
The Fish Piece was written for Joseph Lee. I have worked with a number of different ensembles that include strings and piano, but never for this combination. This instrumentation is the most known for Schubert’s D. 677, the Trout Quintet. I wanted to take this opportunity to revisit the famous work, and see what I could do with some of the materials Schubert used in the theme and variations movement. Schubert has not been an easy composer for me. I have had a harder time appreciating his music and style, and I wanted to work on his theme with a little bit of wit and twist. Several direct quotes are used from Schubert’s original work throughout this piece.
– Nicky Sohn
Recording: