Terms of Venery (2018) for Wind Quintet
I. Drift
II. Muster
III. Shrewdness
IV. Duel
V. Cast 
VI. Barren 
VII. Labor 
VIII. Dissimulation 
IX. Exalting 

Premiered by Emblems Quintet
MERRYL NEILLE  - Flute
ALEX HAYASHI  - Oboe/English Horn
CLARISSA OSBORN  - Clarinets
BRANDON RUMSEY  - Bassoon
CAROLINE STEIGER  - Horn

http://www.emblemsquintet.com/

Terms of venery are collective nouns used to describe groups of animals. Some of these are terms we all know and take for granted: a pride of lions, a herd of sheep, a flock of birds, a pack of wolves. We tend to know that these words aren’t interchangeable; it would sound silly to say a school of ducks. Some others exist more on the fringe of general knowledge, mostly specialized: a clutch of chickens, a pod of dolphins, a  bed of oysters. Still others are either entirely antiquated or too fanciful or particular to find a place in common  usage but are often strangely appropriate: a smack of jellyfish, a gaze of raccoons, a murder of crows, a siege of  herons, a parliament of owls, a phalanx of storks, a convocation of eagles.   

Terms of venery originated in French courtly traditions where they were used in the nobleman’s passtime of  hunting. Many of these terms have made their way into modern English via a book published in 1486 called  “The Boke of Seynt Albans” by British noble-born nun and sportswoman Juliana Berners. The book includes an extensive list she calls “The companyes of bestys & foules.” The names of the movements of this piece come from her list.  
		 	
a Dryfte of tame swyne 				
a Mustre of pecockys 				
a Shrewdenes of apys (apes) 				
a Duell of turtylles 				
a Cast of hawkis 				
a Barren of mulys 				
a Labor of mollys (moles) 				
a Dyssymulacon of byrdes 				
an Exaltynge of larkys   

Following the Norman conquest of the British Isles, the French language and customs infiltrated the formerly-Saxon English society. That is, they infiltrated the culture of the gentry and upper class. It  became possible to distinguish those of high and low birth by the words they used. The proper use of terms of  venery remained a marker of “education” into the 19th century; to refer to a number of pigs as a “herd” instead  of a “drift” was, to some, uncouth.    
The words we use are important. Words can distinguish the objects we refer to, but can also divide us, the speakers. What words do we use to label our fellow-beings?

Terms Of Venery (World Premiere)

Nathan Thatcher