(Unperformed)

Swallowtail is based on a standard Irish jig- the Swallowtail Jig. This was a warm-up melody for a friend of mine growing up, and so it stuck in my head and worked its way subtly into much of my work, this piece especially. The piece is in two halves, with the second being a radical transformation of the first half. After an explosive opening outburst and a distant call from the horns and bowed crotales, the jig is played slowly and mysteriously by toy piano and metallic percussion against a descending figure in the strings that gradually develops into a warm lament. The second half is in some ways a mirror of the first: the opening outburst is now a distant ocean, and the jig returns in the low brass, building and gradually overwhelming the lament in the end of the piece.

Specific instrumentation details are on the second page of the score.

MIDI Mockup:

For additional information, questions, or parts requests, contact Aidan.