Donut Robot! by Post-Haste Reed Duo

Post-Haste Reed Duo’s "Donut Robot!" is an important addition to the saxophone – bassoon duet literature. The six new pieces explore the many possibilities of the unique instrumental pairing while delving into a completely new sound world. With pieces by Edward Hines, Drew Baker, Andrea L. Reinkemeyer, Takuma Itoh, Michael Johanson, and Ruby Fulton, Donut Robot! showcases virtuosic playing, subtle musical shading, and masterful interpretation.

Donut Robot! – Ruby Fulton
Inspired by an autocorrect error, the title of Donut Robot! represents the instances when technology fails and hurts society. The second part is drawn from real news stories in which technology fails. Fulton uses an elaborate method of assigning pitches to speech rhythms to create a piece that is metallic, mechanistic, and fun.

First Light – Drew Baker
First Light is an exploration of microtonality with harmony at very close intervals. The undulating texture is constantly changing and the work, despite its uniformity of texture, ends at a very different place than its beginning.

Soundscapes – Michael Johanson
Johanson’s expressive Soundscapes was inspired by the beauty of two very different landscapes – the lush hills of southern Italy and the mysterious snow-covered beauty of Oregon. The final movement is an energetic romp that is as much a treat for the listener as it is a challenge to the performers.

Hommage: Saygun et Bartók en Turquie 1936 (Chanson de Hatice Dekioğlu) – Edward J Hines
Hines takes the listener to the day in 1936 when Belá Bartók and A. Adnan Saygun visited a village in Turkey and recorded 13-year-old Hatice Dekioğlu singing a folk song. He casts the song for soprano saxophone and bassoon and includes the wax cylinder recording of Miss Dekioğlu as the work reaches its touching climax.

In the Speaking Silence – Andrea L. Reinkemeyer
With a title inspired by a line from a poem by Christina Rossetti, the reverent in the speaking silence explores the peaceful world of quietness and is dedicated to the memory of the composer’s mother.

Snapshots – Takuma Itoh
The four movements of Snapshots take the listener from the strikingly experimental “Grotesque” through the mesmerizingly minimalist “Chain” to the glissandos of “Haunted.” The final destination is “Early Bird Special” with its rapid-fire bebop influences.

As a bridge between composers with audiences, Post-Haste Reed Duo hopes their efforts to expand the bassoon/saxophone ensemble’s repertoire will inspire and challenge musicians and listeners alike, to create and connect with new music.

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