One of a Kind for Solo Clarinet in B-flat by Mark Phillips. Lauren Keiser Music, 1995/2008, 13 pages. One of a Kind was written for a farewell performance by clarinetist David Lewis on the occasion of his retirement from Ohio University. One of a Kind attempts to blur the boundaries between "serious" music and various popular styles. One of a Kind opens with an introspective cadenza which leads directly into movement one. This movement, with its relentless stream of eighth notes, is a virtual perpetual motion machine. It also exploits the clarinet's wide range and agility, as well as its sophisticated fingering system which provides for many alternate fingerings, each with its own distinct tone color and subtle intonation inflection. As the melodic line becomes more and more disjunct it seems to fragment into two (or more) contrapuntal lines — at least some of which may seem influenced by jazz and blues. The introverted second movement is very slow and mostly soft. By exploiting the clarinet's dark, somber tone color and its astonishing dynamic range (especially its ability to play soft tones throughout its various registers), this movement manages to be both expressive and austere. The final movement is a Klezmer inspired whirlwind, which comes unwound in the middle to allow space for a bit of "schmaltz," giving way in turn to a short cadenza before gradually gathering speed again as it heads for a raucous ending. Duration about 13:20. (C1648)