Dana Paul Perna
COVIDIFICATIONS ON B A C H
Bardic Edition BDE1252
for solo french horn.
This composition occurred as the result of a conversation I had had with French hornist, James F. 'Big Jim' Wilson in mid-June 2020 during the Global Quarantine as a result of the Coronavirus pandemic. While many topics were covered during that conversation, our first in several years, he simply asked if I had written anything for solo/unaccompanied French horn. Thoughts that began to formulate led to my placing them onto paper, setting them up on the computer for publication as the composition progressed onward toward completion a short time later.
While the music was conceived as based upon the pitches that spell out the last name of Johann Sebastian Bach, the French hornist, Karlis Rerihs offered a few additional insights that may provide, and/or prove to make for a more optimum experience for the performer. Where muting is indicated, he suggests that a wooden mute be used, whereas I am open to whatever will prove most expedient to the musician. True, I did - and do - employ bass clef within this piece. I could have chosen a different manner to have notated things, but, even with having used the indication of '8va basso', I wished to avoid using so many ledger lines it would have required to have achieved the same result. The conclusion of this opus beings fortissimo, followed by a diminuendo that leads to that last piano indication. Despite the lowest tessitura that that is cast in, the dynamic indication has to remain what it is in order to create that final gesture within a proper dramatic context.
During this same period in which this composition occurred, two significant people in my life passed away (neither from Covid-19, ironically.) In addition to its dedication to 'Big Jim', it holds an additional 'in memoriam' to Lauren Keith Keiser, and Allan Evans. Their contributions to the world remain, not only global, but permanently timeless. May they both Rest In Peace. I wish to extend an additional note of thanks by acknowledging Karlis Rerihs, and David Amram for their additional input regarding this opus. Dana Paul Perna
This composition occurred as the result of a conversation I had had with French hornist, James F. 'Big Jim' Wilson in mid-June 2020 during the Global Quarantine as a result of the Coronavirus pandemic. While many topics were covered during that conversation, our first in several years, he simply asked if I had written anything for solo/unaccompanied French horn. Thoughts that began to formulate led to my placing them onto paper, setting them up on the computer for publication as the composition progressed onward toward completion a short time later.
While the music was conceived as based upon the pitches that spell out the last name of Johann Sebastian Bach, the French hornist, Karlis Rerihs offered a few additional insights that may provide, and/or prove to make for a more optimum experience for the performer. Where muting is indicated, he suggests that a wooden mute be used, whereas I am open to whatever will prove most expedient to the musician. True, I did - and do - employ bass clef within this piece. I could have chosen a different manner to have notated things, but, even with having used the indication of '8va basso', I wished to avoid using so many ledger lines it would have required to have achieved the same result. The conclusion of this opus beings fortissimo, followed by a diminuendo that leads to that last piano indication. Despite the lowest tessitura that that is cast in, the dynamic indication has to remain what it is in order to create that final gesture within a proper dramatic context.
During this same period in which this composition occurred, two significant people in my life passed away (neither from Covid-19, ironically.) In addition to its dedication to 'Big Jim', it holds an additional 'in memoriam' to Lauren Keith Keiser, and Allan Evans. Their contributions to the world remain, not only global, but permanently timeless. May they both Rest In Peace. I wish to extend an additional note of thanks by acknowledging Karlis Rerihs, and David Amram for their additional input regarding this opus. Dana Paul Perna
