Rik De Geyter (solo clarinet)

“Dancing the clarinet away”.

Stockhausen’s ‘Little Harlequin’ is a music-theatrical piece for dancing clarinet player. Harlequin's dancing footsteps are heard throughout the piece. The rhythms of the ever changing formula at first become jumpy. Soon, however, they become interspersed with softly phrased legato playing. The formula fragments become quite sporadic when Harlequin "becomes so infatuated in the dancing that he forgets more and more often to play the notes". Harlequin is absorbed in his dance.