Two Scorpions in Love: 4 Clarinets (3 Clarinets in B-flat & Bass Clarinet in B-flat) Conductor Score & Parts

This piece captures the swing and playfulness of jazz without requiring your players to have extensive improvisation experience. The fanfare opening immediately signals that something fun is about to happen, and the waltz meter in a jazz idiom creates something genuinely different from the repertoire your ensemble has probably played before.

The piece swings with genuine joy and a touch of humor in the title itself. The waltz meter combined with jazz phrasing creates a sophisticated dance floor atmosphere, charming and lively from the opening fanfare through to the finish.

Intermediate clarinet quartets ready to explore jazz idioms and add repertoire that feels contemporary without being difficult. This works equally well for high school chamber groups, community bands looking for lighter program material, or studio teachers assembling a mixed-level recital.

• Work the rhythm section (bass clarinet and third clarinet) with particular attention to the jazz swing feel; have them listen to a recorded jazz waltz to internalize the pocket before rehearsing with the full group.
• Mark the solos clearly in rehearsal so first clarinet and alto clarinet (or third B-flat clarinet) understand whether they're improvising or playing the written version at each occurrence; consistency matters even when improvising.
• Shape the fanfare introduction with clear articulation and graduated dynamics to establish the upbeat character immediately and draw your audience in.
• If your players are improvising, set boundaries in advance: confirm the harmonic progression, chord changes, and solo length so soloists know exactly where they fit within the ensemble's framework.

Schedule this as a lighter moment in a concert, perhaps between weightier classical selections. It also works beautifully as an encore or as part of a jazz-themed concert block alongside other contemporary works. The piece is substantial enough to stand on its own yet compact enough to fit varied programming needs.

• Jazz swing phrasing and rhythmic interpretation
• Reading and executing improvisation within a composed harmonic framework
• Waltz meter in a contemporary style
• Balance and blend in a clarinet quartet setting
• Ensemble communication when solos are involved