Through characteristic miniatures, this piece is an aural sampler of some of the world’s most
interesting cheeses (and the folk music of the people who produce them). Though my
passion for cheese is well in evidence, I like to point out that my love for the piccolo runs just
as strong, and I have sought with this piece to contribute a lively and colorful homage to the
chamber repertoire of this sweet, agile instrument.

-Feta
Greek in origin, this is a crumbly aged cheese made mostly from sheep’s milk. The flavor is
commonly described as tangy and salty. In this movement, I use the ancient Epitaph of Seikilos
melody to dance around the light crumbles in the other voices.

-Moose Cheese
A product of Sweden, this rates as one of the world’s most rare (and expensive) cheeses. The
moose tend not to be cooperative and the most gentle care needs to be taken in the milking
process. The tune for this movement is a specimen of the gånglåt repertoire titled
Gärdebylåten. Gånglåt are traditional fiddle songs of Sweden, roughly translating as
“walking tune.”

-Wensleydale
A supple, crumbly, moist texture with subtle acidic notes greets the palate in this cheese of
Yorkshire in England. The flavor is well-suited to sweeter produce and is often paired with
cranberries. The Yorkshire folk tune On Ilkla Moor Baht’At (Cranbrook) is featured here.
(You were expecting something from Wallace and Gromit, weren’t you?)

-Flower of Rajya
Though cheese is not commonly found in parts of the world where dairy products are not
prominent in the diet, we note this Yak-based cheese in the mountaintop nation of Nepal.
The milk is heated and ripened in big copper vats, curdled, drained and molded into 10-12
pound wheels. The cheese is dry-cured in Tibetan red salt, aged, then wrapped in scarves and
packed in bamboo baskets. The music of this movement is inspired by the ancient folk
rhythms and melodies of Newar musicians.

-Mozzarella
This mild, soft, supple cheese of Italy is famous the world over, most notably as a key
constituent of pizza. Italy is as rich in musical tradition as it is in its gastronomic offerings,
and I decided to take my cue from the music of southern Italian bagpipers.

-Gouda
The first mention of Gouda dates from 1184, making it one of the oldest recorded cheeses in
the world still made today. Adding to the storied heritage of this Dutch treat is the manner in
Sheet Music Plus Order 5748379685. 1 copy purchased by Brandon Nelson on Nov 7, 2022.
which it was bought and sold. Teams consisting of the guild of cheese-porters, identified by
differently colored straw hats, carried the farmers’ cheeses on barrows, which typically
weighed about 160 kg. Buyers then sampled the cheeses and negotiated a price using a ritual
system called handjeklap in which buyers and sellers clap each other’s hands and shout
prices. Once a price was agreed, the porters would carry the cheese to the weighing house
and complete the sale. We hear in this movement a recorder tune composed by Renaissance
Dutch composer Jacob van Eyck accompanied by some lively “bartering” from members of
the ensemble.

-Roquefort
Choosing a notable representative of the cheeses of France is quite a tall order—in fact, I left it
to the crowds of social media to choose for me! Roquefort is one of the world’s best known
blue cheeses. The cheese is white, tangy, crumbly and slightly moist, with distinctive veins of
blue mold. It has characteristic odor and flavor with a notable taste of butyric acid; the blue
veins provide a sharp tang. The overall flavor sensation begins slightly mild, then waxes
sweet, then smoky, and fades to a salty finish. The cheese is aged in the Cambalou caves
before they are ready to be sold. I found the last detail to be quite interesting and imagined a
theme of Machaut (Chanson balladée) as if it were echoing around the walls of these caves.

-Square Yellow Cheese-like Product
Perhaps one of the more readily-identifiable and distinctive U.S. contributions to global
cuisine is this waxy yellow square that melts so graciously on burgers (or whatever else one
would like). Although not legally considered to be “cheese” in it’s own right, it is, rather, an
amalgam of several cheeses thence dyed to produce its characteristic coloration. I felt using
“Old MacDonald Had a Farm” as source material would be a good-natured rib at this
whimsical American staple

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