The Cuckoo

Program Note: “Dampened by life’s hurdles such as working odd jobs at a young age to support his mother and siblings after his father passed; cutting his studies in Paris, France short with notable composition teacher Nadia Boulanger due to the start of World War II; working at the United States Postal Office and the IRS full time while trying to study, Swanson was left with little time to hone his craft as a concert pianist and composer, in turn limiting the body of work he could potentially produce. 

Which is why it is a delight for me to release this short but effective and compelling scherzo for piano of his to help highlight Swanson’s brilliant and avant-garde writing.” — Ric'key Pageot, performer

Scherzo: Throughout this piece, we hear a major third in the middle range of the piano that mimics a bird singing "cuckoo" over and over. Around this repeating "cuckoo," complex rhythmic passages zoom up and down the piano!