Mean Reds
viola sonata in four movementsLength: ca. 15'
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Availability: PDF available for purchase; orders processed in 1–2 business days.
Program Note
I composed Mean Reds for solo viola during the fall of 2013 for my friend Jordan Warmath. The title of the work comes from the novella Breakfast at Tiffany's by Truman Capote. Holly Golightly names her occasional bouts of angst "mean reds," and I loved her poetic yet childlike description of her anxiety. Thinking about the color red, I became fascinated by how many different and strong associations we have with it—love, passion, hatred, aggression, caution, meat, fire, blood, spice, and heat, just to name a few. So, each one of the four movements of Mean Reds—"Valentine," "Warning Sign," "Siren," and "Bloodshot"—is inspired by something we tend to associate with the color red. I'm so happy to have had the opportunity to compose a work for Jordan, and I'm incredibly grateful for the time, thought, and energy she put into bringing the piece to life.
Premiere
Commissioned by Jordan Warmath; premiered in 2014.
Recording