First premiered in the fall of 2022, Clamor features four movements that each take their name from an invention that women created to circumvent obstructions to their freedoms. Two movements highlight Katherine Young’s unique bassoon style, while the others center ensemble communication. The ensemble for Clamor comprises eminent women and nonbinary musicians who each bring their own voices to the composition: violinists Aimée Niemann and Charlotte Munn-Wood, violists Abby Swidler and Pavone, cellist Mariel Roberts, and double bassist Shayna Dulberger.
Details for Jessica Pavone's release show have also changed. The concert will now take place on November 12th at Brooklyn art space Pioneer Works as a part of Second Sundays.
In the 17th century, Korean women invented the standing see-saw to help them see what lay outside. These women weren’t allowed to leave their homes, so the see-saw gave them the ability to peek out the walls of their property, if even for just a second. Composer-violist Jessica Pavone came upon this history in January 2021 after writing a rhythm that swayed back-and-forth; she wondered what drew her to this see-saw-like pattern so she started researching its origins. This led her to want to find more stories of how women have worked around societal barriers and norms, and, in turn, to composing Clamor. Through her signature indeterminate and fluid style, Clamor reimagines the idea of “womens’ work,'' using women-made inventions as a starting point to craft powerful music.
First premiered in the fall of 2022, Clamor is written for a six-person ensemble and bassoon soloist Katherine Young and features four movements that each take their name from an invention that women created to circumvent obstructions to their freedoms. To find them, Pavone read feminist texts by Gloria Steinem and searched for women-made inventions from countries around the world and from across eras. The inventions she chose are the Neolttwigi, or the 17th century see-saw; Nu Shu, a secret language developed by Chinese women who were forbidden from going to school; and bloomers, which were created by Amelia Bloomer during the Victorian dress reform.
The music of Clamor is a continuation of the concerto form Pavone developed on 2021’s Lull. Two movements highlight Young’s unique bassoon style, while the others center ensemble communication. The ensemble for Clamor comprises eminent women and nonbinary musicians who each bring their own voices to the composition: violinists Aimée Niemann and Charlote Munn-Wood, violists Abby Swidler and Pavone, cellist Mariel Roberts, and double bassist Shayna Dulberger.
Clamor builds from a time-based score, in which Pavone instructs players to move from phrase to phrase at specific times. Each musician plays a specific pattern until they reach the designated clock marker that tells them to change; these loose dictations allow Pavone to foreground each musician’s intuition and individuality instead of creating a composer-performer hierarchy. Young’s movements in particular—“Nu Shu” parts 1 and 2—grow from her singular bassoon language. Pavone and Young have a long history of collaboration and friendship and these movements are born out of their mutual understanding. Throughout, Young showcases her fearless exploration, excavating the full dynamic, textural, and emotional range of her bassoon.
The other movements of Clamor drift between ensemble unisons and solo voices, watching as each instrument pops out of the fold or fades away. There’s democracy in this playing—no one musician feels like a leader or a follower. Rather, each passes their melody along to the other, letting every voice be heard. During “Bloom,” for example, a folksy melody branches out into a series of drones that flow with ease between consonance and dissonance, eventually erupting in one final howl. There’s a sense of empowerment that emerges from both these solo moments and the group’s melodies that braid together. At its heart, Clamor shows us the strength of individual and communal voices—demonstrating how womens’ work can be a space for both agency and collectivity.
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