By Anna Pidgorna | For Flute and Clarinet in B-Flat | 9′

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From the composer:

Stockhausen menagerie is a collection of miniatures drawing on phrases from Karkheinz Stockhausen’s Tierkreis (the Aries, Taurus and Gemini movements) to create portraits of fantasy birds. The bits of phrases are “birdified” and shaped into imaginary interactions between displaying males.

I. The Right-Winged Aries Bird

The Right-Winged Aries Bird is distantly related to the Left-Winged Aries Bird. It is likely that the two species developed out of one population split up by geography. The Right-Winged subspecies is found on the left side of Mount Aries and tends to favour its right wing (the one facing away from the mountainside) in mating displays. The Left-Winged subspecies settled on the right side of the mountain and therefor favours its left wing. The males always face south when displaying. Because the right wing of the male Right-Winged Aries Bird is so much more muscular and well developed, he can only fly in counterclockwise circles. This is an excellent example of female aesthetic choices leading the male to evolve features that somewhat impede his non-display functioning. The males are extremely territorial and antagonistic.

II. The Left-Winged Aries Bird

The Left-Winged Aries Bird male flies in clockwise circles due to an overly developed left-wing. The wing-to-mountain relationship appears to be the only shared part of the courtship ritual retained by the two species, however; they have largely distinct song repertoires. 

III. The Martian Robin

The males of this species display in duos. One male calls to attract another male. The two will circle and appraise one another, and if deeming each other worthy, will pair for a joint display for prospecting females. Their display is highly coordinated. Standing one in front of the other, they mirror each other’s wing and foot motions to create the impression of one bird. The level of intricacy and synchronization needed for this choreography suggests that the two participants have likely practiced together for years to perfect this display, and that the initial “appraisal” stage is itself a coordinated part of the display choreography.

IV. The Taurus Warbler

These gentle birds perform only on mild summer mornings. Thought their displays are not coordinated, they prefer to be within hearing distance of other males, resulting in songs that intertwine in pleasant counterpoint as they float over a gentle breeze.

V. The Gemini Wren

Male Gemini Wrens display in pairs. In an intricately coordinated choreography that takes years to perfect, they hop and flip over each other, chirping and flapping their wings energetically.

Commission/Dedication: Commissioned by Duo Inquietum with support from the Canada Council for the Arts.
Premiere: First performed on August 13, 2022 in Vancouver, BC at Mountain View Cemetery’s Celebration Hall by Duo Inquietum (Mark Takeshi McGregor, flute; and, Liam Hockley, clarinet in b-flat).