Techno Parade

This blistering
trio for piano, clarinet and flute is a virtuosic endeavor as each instrument
is assigned its own obsessive rhythm. Connesson admits that as a listener he
prioritizes a physical connection with music and as a result his compositions
are very pulse centered. He is inspired by contemporary pop genres (including
techno, as the title suggests) and believes that song and dance are the
original vehicles for any genre of music. Nonetheless one can also hear the
influences of John Adams, Philip Glass, and George Gershwin.

The piece starts
with a blast of energy as flute and piano play their frenetic lines, eventually
clarinet joining in with a wail. The clarinet and flute parts join together in
a lyrical line, a stark contrast from the rhythmic frenzy in the piano. Aside
from the tempo, the piece seemingly has nothing to do with techno, until the
pianist stands up to muffle and scratch the strings of the piano, creating a
distorted sound that truly does sound like electronic music. On top of this,
the flute uses the flutter tongue technique for a piercing effect, but only for
a moment before rejoining the clarinet to close the piece with a flourish.