Two Young Fish
After David Foster Wallace
Solo guitar
- Duration
- 5 min
- Level
- Advanced
- Premiere
- Stephen Mattingly, Comstock Hall, University of Louisville, 22 September 2023
- Commissioned by
- Stephen Mattingly
- Publisher
- Les Productions d'Oz, DZ 4202
About the music
Two Young Fish takes its title and its premise from David Foster Wallace’s commencement address “This Is Water,” which opens with a parable: two young fish swim past an older fish who asks, “How’s the water?” and one of them turns to the other and says, “What the hell is water?”
The piece is dedicated to Stephen Mattingly, who gave the premiere at the University of Louisville in September 2023.
Listen: Two Young Fish, Stephen Mattingly, For Whom the Bell Tolls (Sacred Black Records)
What people are saying
“This was an interesting piece that bears no resemblance to most other pieces you will come across, and although the harmonies are modern, they are friendly throughout… I can see that it will attract many interested players.”
Chris Dumigan, All Classical Guitar
Watch and listen
Performances
- — Stephen Mattingly: video release, Sacred Black Records on YouTube, Online · Video
- — Stephen Mattingly, faculty recital, Longmire Recital Hall, Florida State University, Tallahassee, FL
- — Stewart Kelly: video premiere, YouTube, Online · Video
- — Matthew Cochran: video premiere and livestream with Stephen Mattingly, Gallery of Guitar on YouTube, Online · Video
- — Matthew Cochran, Guitar Composers of Michigan, St. Cecilia Music Center, Grand Rapids, MI
- — Stephen Mattingly, Comstock Hall, University of Louisville
Related works
- Three Inward Glances Solo guitar
- Wherever You Are Solo guitar
- Like a Bird on the Wing Solo guitar