Waiting for the Green Man
for Bb clarinet and piano (1998)
duration: 2’
GRT • 052
score available from
Australian Music Centre
program note
This piece was written at the request of Brigid Burke and Bruce Petherick who gave the premiere performance on 30 October 1998 at the Gryphon Gallery, The University of Melbourne. The title is partially in jest, but who knows – maybe there really are ‘green men’ out there! In any event, it would seem that Narre Warren (in Melbourne’s outer East) has had more than its fair share of UFO sightings and it seemed as good a place as any in which to set this miniature.
The music depicts the phasing of independent pedestrian crossing signals (a study in the rhythmic ratio 7:8) set in a harmonic world that might just conceivably conjure an extra–terrestrial vibe. If you sense anything during the performance look out of the windows. If you see anything strange, call the Australian UFO research network hotline on 1800 772288 (but only after the conclusion of the performance).