Burning Sled

for oboe, clarinet and bass clarinet (2003)

Duration: 9 minutes. In three movements. ...Arachne, a beautiful maiden of ancient Greece, boasted of her own skills as a weaver, angering Athene, goddess of wisdom and patroness of the arts, who mangled Arachne's body condemning her to weave for all time.  Anansi, a folk hero of West Africa, spun the fabric of life from which all humans were created, bearing the pot of wisdom on his back.    Reverend Dr. Thomas Muffet, an English scientist of the 16th century, believed passionately in the curative properties of the common house spider, experimenting frequently on his poor daughter Patience, the true-life "Little Miss Muffet."  A fascination with arachnids has been shared throughout history by countless cultures from around the globe. Learn more>>>