Mansurian, Tigran: Parable

for clarinet solo

In Armenia, the clarinet is considered a popular instrument. Almost all of our duduk players also play the clarinet. In some villages, they call it gralnet and they call the player gralnetist. In Parable I have tried to combine the clarinet and gralnet with their individual intonation and their characteristic uniqueness in rhythm and colour. I have attempted to secure in the amalgamation of the two “clarinets” a dichotomy or paradox that would hold true for a parable.This work was first performed by Swiss clarinetist Reto Bieri. Written in 2011, it is dedicated to my friend, composer Ashot Zohrabyan, as an expression of my admiration for his work of the same title written for a chamber orchestra. (Tigran Mansurian)