These are a series of orchestral miniatures inspired by the 'grotesque' sketches of Leonardo Da Vinci. In art, grotesques are ornamental arrangements of arabesques with interlaced garlands and small and fantastic human and animal figures, usually set out in a symmetrical pattern around some form of architectural framework.

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Music, especially classical music, is about beauty. Beauty can be found everywhere, even in the grotesque. These are short, atonalesque, acerbic little miniatures. The orchestration is a large, kaleidoscopic paintbox of sounds.

Classical music composition is about development. The symphonies of the great composers show their mastery in the development of musical material. Yet, there's also mastery in that perfect four minute pop song and development of musical material (in the classical sense) is not generally part of that.

Each of these miniatures eschews development and in its place has a vamp.

"Vamp (music), a repeating musical figure or accompaniment."

There's a 'feel', a 'groove' in each movement with the addition of a vamp, and no real 'development'. How grotesque, indeed.

Instrumentation:

Movement One

Piccolo, 2 Flutes, 2 Oboes, English Horn in F, E-Flat Clarinet, 2 Clarinets in B-Flat, B-Flat Bass Clarinet, 2 Bassoons, Contrabassoon, 2 French Horns in F, Trombone, Bass Trombone, Triangle, Tambourine, Snare Drum, Bass Drum, Claves, Xylophone, Piano, Violins, Violas, Celli, Double Basses

Movement Two

Piccolo, 2 Flutes, 2 Oboes, English Horn in F, E-Flat Clarinet, 3 B-Flat Clarinet, B-Flat Bass Clarinet, 3 Bassoons, Contrabassoon, 4 French Horns in F, 3 B-Flat Trumpets, 2 Trombones, Bass Trombone, Tuba, Bongos, Lead Pipe, Anvil, Snare Drum, Drum Sticks, Xylophone, Glockenspiel, Piano, Violin I, Violin II, Viola I, Viola II, Celli I, Celli II, Double Bass I, Double Bass II

Movement Three

Piccolo, 2 Flutes, 2 Oboes, English Horn in F, E-Flat Clarinet, 2 B-Flat Clarinets. B-Flat Bass Clarinet, E-Flat Contra Alto Clarinet, 2 Bassoons, Contrabassoon, 4 French Horns in F, 3 B-Flat Trumpets, 2 Trombones, Bass Trombone, Tuba, Timpani(4), Snare Drum, Orchestral Crash Cymbals, Bass Drum, Wood Block, Claves, Bo, Xylophone, Solo Cello, Violin I, Violin II, Violas, Celli I, Celli II, Double Bass I, Double Bass II

Movement Four

Piccolo, 2 Flutes, 2 Oboes, English Horn in F, E-Flat Clarinet, 2 Clarinets in A, 2 B-Flat Bass Clarinets, 2 Bassoons, Contrabassoon, French Horn in F, 3 Trombones, Bass Trombone, Tuba, Tympani(4), Roto Toms, Power Toms, Vibrastick, Hammer, Lead Pipe, Piccolo Snare Drum, Sizzle Cymbals, Orchestral Crash Cymbals, Bass Drum, Wood Block, Guiro, Cabasa, Gong, Whip, Xylophone, Harp, Piano, Violins, Violas, Celli, Double Basses

Movement Five

Piccolo, 2 Flutes, 2 Oboes, English Horn in F, E-Flat Clarinet, 2 B-Flat Clarinets, B-Flat Bass Clarinet, 3 Bassoons, 2 Contrabassoons, Bongos, Agogo Bells, Flexatone, Roto Toms, Long Drum, Triangle, Bass Drum, Hammer, Violas, Celli, Double Basses

Movement Six

Piccolo, 3 Flutes, Oboe, English Horn in F, E-Flat Clarinet, 2 Clarinets in A, B-Flat Bass Clarinet, 2 Bassoons, 2 Contrabassoons, 4 French Horns in F, 2 Trombones, Bass Trombone, Tuba, Timpani(4),Snare Drum, Piccolo Snare Drum, Bass Drum, Whip, Drum Sticks, Xylophone, Celli, Double Basses

Movement Seven

Piccolo, 3 Flutes, 3 Oboes, English Horn in F, E-Flat Clarinet, 3 Clarinet in A, B-Flat Bass Clarinet, 3 Bassoons, Contrabassoon, 2 French Horns in F, 2 B-Flat Trumpets, 2 Trombones, 2 Tubas, Timpani(4), Bongos, Temple Blocks, Roto Toms, Power Toms, Almglocken, Bass Drum, Snare Drum, Wood Blocks, Claves, Drum Sticks, Xylophone, Glockenspiel, Violin I, Violin II, Violas, Celli, Double Basses

Duration: approximately 14 minutes