The Twelve Chinese Zodiac Animals, Book 2 (Vol.1)

The twelve youthful creatures of the Chinese zodiac introduced in Book 1 have now entered their teenage years, and the same musical material has been extended and developed in more complex forms to reflect a corresponding development in the intermediate to more advanced performer’s technical and musical maturity. Each animal is represented by a prelude and fugue reflecting an aspect of their character – the scurrying “Rascally Rat”, lumbering “Mighty Ox” (with an implacable fugue subject made up of cluster chords), playfully dancing tigers, “Jubilant Rabbit” (portrayed through lolloping upwards and downwards arpeggios), freely “Soaring Dragon”, and sinuously slithering “Spirited Snakes”.