Beamish IZAKHI by ScoresOnDemand

BEAMISH

Izakhi

Concerto for Basset Clarinet and Chamber Orchestra

Full Score

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SALLY BEAMISH

Izakhi

Concerto for Basset Clarinet and Chamber Orchestra

Full Score

LEIP ZI G · L ONDO N · NE W YOR K

ISSUU version for perusal only

Commissioned by the Tapiola Sinfonietta, the Tasmanian Symphony Orchestra, the Academy of St Martin in the Fields and the Swedish Chamber Orchestra

First performed on 9 October 2025 by Michael Collins (basset clarinet and conductor) with the Tapiola Sinfonietta at Tapiola Hall, Helsinki

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Izakhi

Weaverbird – Cradle – Thirst – Wildfire

This piece was written following an inspirational trip to South Africa in 2024. The original idea, conceived with dedicatee Michael Collins, was to write a ‘four elements’ work, but my entire concept of the elements was altered by the experience of visiting this extraordinary, beautiful and troubled country. The title, Izakhi, is the Zulu word for ‘elements’, in the sense of building blocks – or the materials used to create our habitats. It also refers to those who build – who create those habitats from assembled resources.

I thought about the construction of a clarinet: made of wood, metal (brazed in a furnace) and reed, activated by air. I then chose percussion to characterize the movements, each of which references an element: Air (bamboo windchimes, swanee whistle, a block of polystyrene), Earth (Xylophone), Water (Waterphone, rainstick) and Fire (metal instruments: cymbal, thunder sheet, glockenspiel, side drum with steel brushes).

The first movement, ‘Weaverbird’ (air), is inspired by watching these amazing birds constructing their nests –oblong ‘baskets’ made of grass and reeds, which hang from the branches of trees. It begins with a notation of the bird’s song, and the music is then ‘woven’ – adding more and more intricate strands. In the centre is a soundscape suggested by the rich diversity of the African savannah – layer upon layer of birdsong, the sound of wind in trees, the rustling of dry seedpods, and the whirring of wings. The movement closes by ascending into the highest registers of the instruments.

This is followed by ‘Cradle’ (earth); the title is a reference to the ‘Cradle of Humankind’ – a museum I visited near Johannesburg. The idea of the earth as a cradle is poignant; the young it has nurtured have risen up and begun to destroy it. The music is partly inspired by Bantu call-and-response a cappella singing, and the movement is a chaconne – repeating a set of chorale-like chords, with variations. The central section is more playful, the soloist interacting with xylophone and pizzicato strings. Towards the end, the music settles into a lullaby, before the opening chorale returns.

The third movement, ‘Thirst’, refers to water, but focuses more on its absence – on drought and parched landscapes. The percussion here includes waterphone – a bowed metallophone with a water-filled resonating pan. Pizzicato strings and a rainstick suggest sporadic rain but not rivers or fast-moving bodies of water – only dryness. At the beginning, the clarinet uses multiphonics to blend with the waterphone, before a plaintive soliloquy over pizzicato strings. The movement explores a static soundworld.

The last movement, ‘Wildfire’, transforms some of the themes from the previous movement, and depicts the transition from extreme dryness to the sparking of fire, which becomes increasingly wild and uncontrolled before finally subsiding. The percussion is mostly metal-based: cymbal, glockenspiel, thunder sheet, and a side drum played with steel brushes. The last section is a lament – first a duet between soloist and timpani, then taking the chorale music from the second movement (Cradle), over which the soloist plays the soliloquy from the third movement. The piece finishes with the call of the Weaverbird.

Sally

Beamish, April 2025

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ORCHESTRA

2 Flutes (2nd doubling Piccolo)

2 Oboes (2nd doubling Cor Anglais)

2 clarinets in B- (2nd doubling Bass Clarinet)

2 Bassoons

2 French Horns

2 Trumpets

Timpani and Percussion: 1 player only

Movement I: Timpani, Swanee whistle, bamboo chimes, polystyrene block (played with bow), xylophone Movement II: timpani, xylophone, wood blocks Movement III: rainstick, frame drum with dried peas, waterphone Movement IV: timpani, Side drum with steel brushes, cymbal, thunder sheet (or tam tam), glockenspiel, xylophone

Strings (minimum 6.5.4.4.2)

Duration: approx. 22 minutes

2 Flutes (2nd doubling Piccolo

2 Oboes (2nd doubling Cor Anglais)

2 Clarinets in Bb (2nd doubling Bass Clarinet in Bb)

2 Bassoons

2 Horns in F

2 Trumpets in C

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Izakhi

I. Weaverbird

Allegretto risoluto

Allegretto risoluto q=96 q=96

Sally Beamish

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All ﬁgures to be played freely - strings independent of each other within section. (accidentals apply only to one note, except for repeated notes)

A tempo

(con sord.)

A tempo q=96 (approx.) q=96 (approx.)

repeat sporadically, ad lib.

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In this section alternate bamboos, polystyrene and swanee whistle as desired

repeat sporadically, ad lib.

multiphonic screeches: repeat occasionally, ad lib.

col legno batt.

repeat sporadically - ad lib. - until trumpets enter

repeat sporadically - ad lib. until trumpets enter

col legno batt.

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multiphonic screeches: repeat occasionally, ad lib.

col legno batt.

played with bow repeat sporadically, ad lib.

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STOP BEFORE/AT SOLO CL. (melody) ENTRY

STOP BEFORE/AT SOLO CL. (melody) ENTRY ¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯

STOP BEFORE/AT SOLO CL. (melody) ENTRY

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ﬁnd multiphonics/improvise

III. Thirst

Largo: quasi senza misura - liberamente

Tune waterphone with enough water to produce approximately this tonality. Follow general shapes of ﬁgures. Not exact.

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J‰

J‰bnœœ

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Sally Beamish

Sally Beamish (b. 1956) studied viola at the Royal Northern College of Music before focusing on composition and moving to Scotland, where she lived for many years. Her music embraces many influences, particularly jazz and Scottish traditional music, and she has written for numerous soloists including Steven Isserlis, James Crabb, Håkan Hardenberger, Branford Marsalis and Tabea Zimmermann. Her string quartet for the Elias Quartet, Reed Stanzas, received its premiere at the 2011 BBC Proms and won a Royal Philharmonic Society Award. In 2018 Beamish was awarded the British Composer Award for Inspiration in recognition of her long and distinguished career.

Sally Beamish (*1956) studierte zunächst Viola am Royal Northern College of Music, ehe sie sich der Komposition zuwandte und nach Schottland zog, wo sie viele Jahre lang lebte. Ihre Musik vereint vielfältige Einflüsse, insbesondere aus dem Jazz und der schottischen Volksmusik. Sie schuf zahlreiche Werke für Solisten wie Steven Isserlis, James Crabb, Håkan Hardenberger, Branford Marsalis und Tabea Zimmermann. Ihr Streichquartett Reed Stanzas für das Elias Quartet wurde 2011 bei den BBC Proms uraufgeführt und mit einem Royal Philharmonic Society Award ausgezeichnet. In Anerkennung ihrer langen und erfolgreichen Laufbahn wurde Beamish im Jahr 2018 der British Composer Award für Inspiration verliehen.