carnage and his flowers

The inspiration for my piece was originally the process of a lycoris radiata flower coming into bloom with its vibrant hues and tendril like quality. However, in keeping with the Western European form of a fugue and influence of the piece, I changed the flower to a carnation, experimenting with wordplay between "carnage" and "carnation". The end result is a fugue utilizing the form to heighten a dramatic, almost theatrical aesthetic through multiple "episodes" building off a central main theme to create both a united and diverse piece. I also decided to communicate such themes through a trio consisting of two violins and a cello. I chose these instruments due to my commitment to violin, but also in order to challenge myself, as composing for the cello requires knowledge of three different key signatures. I also had an interest in learning cello myself, and figured that starting with a sheet music foundation allowed me to incorporate my pre-existing musical knowledge in my studies. The cello is also such a beautiful instrument, and complements the two violins beautifully to create a multidimensional listening experience. As for the violins, not only am I completely in love with the instrument, but I always liked the idea of having a piece composed for violinists by violinists, keeping in mind the technical difficulties of string crossings, shifts, and bowing.