Naja

Taxonomy is a work in progress consisting of short movements for flute and clarinet, each documenting the characteristics of a particular snake genus. Naja is the genus for cobras, the elegant hooded snakes known for thier powerfully nuero-toxic venom. When displaying their hoods, cobras hold themselves erect and then gracefully topple over. Naja is characterizeded by melodic lines that rise and fall, as well as by a reoccuring "gasping" motive to portray the paralysed breathing caused by the cobra's venom. Lampropeltus is the genus to which milksnakes and kingsnakes belong. Although kingsnakes are, to humans, harmless constrictors, they are known for eating other (sometimes venomous) snakes. This movement of Taxonomy uses that characteristic for its compositional basis. Similar musical lines chase and devour each other throughout this quick and slippery piece.

You can listen to it here and/or buy the CD at Amazon.com (search Rusty Banks). Playing on this excerpt and the CD (courtesy of
Living Artist Recordings) is Betsy Bobenhouse (fl) and Christy Banks (cl).