Two Animal Pictures For Oboe (or Clarinet, Flute, Recorder, Saxophone, Violin) and Piano

Two Animal Pictures

For Oboe (or Clarinet, Flute, Recorder, Saxophone, Violin) and Piano

These two delightful pieces are an enrichment to the repertoire of any instrument, and despite their brevity and simplicity, they are entirely in Swain's own musical language.
„The Bobolink“ (or „Chipmunk“, see editorial notes) reflects- depending on the tempo- her love for Irish jigs, but even at slower tempos, Swain's deep roots in British music are evident. In addition, despite the harmonic simplicity, her preference for fourths and fifths in the piano part is apparent.

In ‘The Slow Worm’, Swain's somewhat quirky humour (not only in the title!) also becomes apparent. The piece, which begins rather innocently (again with fifths, this time in the left hand of the piano), undergoes astonishing harmonic developments: after beginning in A minor, we suddenly find ourselves in G flat major after just 15 bars. Shortly before the end of the piece, Swain once again sprinkles in some piquant harmonies which, despite the tonality of the work, make it clear that we are in the 20th century.

The pieces were most likely composed for teaching purposes, but would certainly also be very well received as encores.