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Notes about this piece:

Danaus (pronounced da-nay-us) is a tribute to the near disappearance of the monarch butterfly, Danaus plexippus, in the West. In the 1980s, western North America was home to an estimated 4.5 million monarch butterflies. As of 2020, fewer than 2,000 remained. As a student of ecology studying the 0.1% of western monarch butterflies still living, I composed Danaus to convey the emotional impact of this remarkable creature—both the wonder of its migrations and the pain of its disappearance. A trio for clarinet, violin, and piano, Danaus tells the monarch population’s story in one season, starting with an individual monarch awakening from winter and rousing its brethren in their colonial roost. Arpeggiated figures derived from the original monarch theme represent the awakening of the colony, and the three instruments unite in a joyful melody as the monarchs migrate north to breed. As time passes, however, the melody begins to break down and simplify, losing its symmetry and becoming darker. The arpeggios return with a dissonant modulation as monarchs are killed, one by one, by herbicides, habitat loss, traffic, and the vagaries of a rapidly changing climate. Those that remain regroup to generate a new, simpler, more urgent theme as they return south for winter. Again, however, the theme thins out as monarchs are lost, and finally, a clarinet cadenza represents the descendant of our first monarch, returning to her wintering grounds—alone.

Score available upon request.

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released February 2, 2022

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Thomas Meinzen Portland, Oregon

Hi! Welcome to my music page. I'm a composer & pianist originally from Eugene, Oregon. I'm also an ecologist, birder, natural history enthusiast, and activist, and I incorporate these themes into my music. Thanks for listening and supporting my work!

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