Clarice Assad

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TERRA (2023)

Concerto For Bassoon & Orchestra | Duration: 22 Minutes

I. Ar (Air)
II. Vendaval (Windstorm)
III. Victoria Amazonia (Water Lilies)
IV. Espelho das Águas (Mirror of the Waters)
V. Danças da Terra (Dances of the Earth)

Program Notes:
TERRA (Earth, in Portuguese) is a concerto for bassoon and orchestra – in a suite format in five movements. Here, the noble and multifaceted bassoon takes center stage, and each movement explores the beauty and complexity of the world around us. The air we breathe, the light we need, and the water we drink all examine the facets of our existence and the importance of honoring Mother Earth and all its elements, animals, and plants. With each note, I hope we awaken to the need to protect our planet and give back to the graciousness that it bestows upon us.

The great accomplishment of Terra, the bassoon concerto by Brazilian American composer Clarice Assad receiving its world premiere, was its ability to move across numerous stylistic borders to create a world unto itself. Played with soul and virtuosity by bassoon soloist Daniel Matsukawa, the piece was easy on the ears and packed with some gripping emotional storylines. You also had to admire the delicate, sensitive textures Assad used to ensure that the solo bassoon wasn’t a lone voice swallowed up by the crowd. – The Philadelphia Inquirer

© 2023 by Virtual Artists Collective Publishing
First published in 2023 by Virtual Artists Collective Publishing

Commissioned with the generous support of Richard M. Klein for The Philadelphia Orchestra, Yannick Nézet-Séguin, Music and Artistic Director, and Daniel Matsukawa, bassoon 

Premiered by

The Philadelphia Orchestra
Daniel Matsukawa, Bassoon
Yannick Nézet-Séguin, Music and Artistic Director

October 12, 2023.

TERRA IS PUBLISHED BY VIRTUAL ARTISTS COLLECTIVE PUBLISHING.

INFORMATION

Commission

Commissioned by Richard M. Klein for The Philadelphia Orchestra, Yannick Nézet-Séguin, Music and Artistic Director, and Daniel Matsukawa, bassoon.
Duration: 23 minutes

Movements & Instrumentation

I. Air — Misterioso
II. Windstorm / Vendaval — Con Fuoco
III. Water Lilies / Victoria Amazonica — Lugubre
IV. Mirror of the Waters / Espelho das Águas — Misterioso
V. Dances of the Earth / Danças da Terra — Con Fuoco

Flute 1 & 2 (Fl. 2 doubles Piccolo)
Oboe 1 & 2
Clarinet in B♭ 1 & 2
Bassoon 1 & 2

Horns in F 1 & 2
Horns in F 3 & 4
Trumpets in B♭ 1 & 2
Trombone

Piano (incl. extended techniques: plucking strings inside piano, aleatoric cluster glissandi)
Violin I (divisi), Violin II (divisi), Viola (divisi), Violoncello (divisi), Double Bass

Percussion (2 players):
Perc. 1: Rain Stick, Tam-tam, Triangle, Vibraphone (bowed), Suspended Cymbal, Bass Drum (shared), Pitched Wood Planks (4), Thunder Sheet
Perc. 2: Ocean Drum, Marimba, Wind Chimes, Tom-toms, Glockenspiel, Suspended Cymbal, Vibraphone (motor on), Pitched Wood Planks (4), Snare Drum, Castanets, Guiro, Whip, Bass Drum (shared)

Performance History
2023
Oct 12, 2023 — TERRA, Concerto for Bassoon & Orchestra | World Premiere, The Philadelphia Orchestra, Daniel Matsukawa (bassoon), Yannick Nézet-Séguin (conductor), Philadelphia, PA

2025
Jul 5, 2025 — TERRA, Concerto for Bassoon & Orchestra | Brazilian Premiere, Orquestra Sinfônica da USP (OSUSP), Fábio Cury (bassoon), Tobias Volkmann (conductor), Centro Cultural Camargo Guarnieri, São Paulo, Brazil

2026
Mar 21, 2026 — TERRA, Concerto for Bassoon & Orchestra | European Premiere, London Philharmonic Orchestra, Jonathan Davies (bassoon), Queen Elizabeth Hall, Southbank Centre, London, UK
Jun 6, 2026 — TERRA, Concerto for Bassoon & Orchestra | Albany Symphony, American Music Festival, Daniel Matsukawa (bassoon), David Alan Miller (conductor), EMPAC, Troy, NY

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