Mundai Malhar: Trombone Quartet

This piece was composed in India in 1987, and eventually premiered at a “New Ensemble Music” concert in 1990. The performers: Bob Pilkington, Jim Messbauer, and Andy Knepley on trombones; Leslie Havens on bass trombone.

It uses melodic motifs drawn from the Hindustani raga Mian Malhar, but morphs them into insolent squawking from the trombones. “Mundai” is the principal vegetable market in Pune, and a source of inspirational chaos for many of my “urban” compositions.

I dedicated this piece to my dear friend Tilmann Waldraff.