Cotton Candy: 4 Clarinets, Bass Clarinet Score & Parts

This reads as pure fun without sacrificing musicianship. Marlatt's harmonic language genuinely evokes the carnival atmosphere the title promises, yet the writing is clean enough that rehearsal time goes into performance, not deciphering complexity. It's the kind of closer that leaves an audience smiling and your ensemble feeling like they nailed something.

Imagine walking through a midway at golden hour: bright, slightly nostalgic, utterly playful. The harmonies have that whimsical, almost exaggerated sweetness of vintage cartoon underscore. There's genuine joy here, not cynicism, and the piece never winks at the audience or relies on irony.

Clarinet choirs and woodwind quintets at the middle school through early college level will find this approachable and fun to prepare. It's ideal for groups comfortable with basic ensemble intonation and articulation but not yet tackling chamber music with dense counterpoint.

• Commit to the cartoon energy from your first rehearsal. The piece asks for lightness, not sloppiness; precision in the articulation of the lighter passages will make the humor land.
• Balance the clarinet choir so no single voice drowns out the melodic or harmonic color. This works best when all five players tune carefully and listen to the whole rather than their individual part.
• Let the bass clarinet breathe as a true ensemble voice, not a harmonic footnote. It deserves moments in the foreground and should have presence even in supporting measures.

This belongs in the final slot before intermission or as your final encore. It shifts the room's energy instantly and gives your ensemble a chance to show personality. Program it after something more substantial to remind your audience that classical musicians can have fun.

• Matching articulation across a five-voice clarinet choir
• Listening critically to ensemble balance and blend
• Executing clean, light staccato without sacrificing tone quality
• Maintaining intonation when playing sustained harmonic backgrounds
• Interpreting stylistic cues embedded in harmonic language (carnival/circus idiom)