It’s my birthday today — and instead of having a wild party or a celebrating a massive achievement what I did today was make a commitment. A commitment to release old works, secret works, parts of myself I know, but don’t share. To release at least one a week in a project called ‘Re-DHC’ – release, reveal, re-open.
I tried to start with what would be easiest to share, though it turned out to be a little trickier than I thought.
This piece is called the 7AM Sonata. I wrote it – probably around 1981 – to play with my friend, Bob Stanley, at that time a clarinetist and now, I think Bob may be teaching Chemistry at Temple University. Bob was my boyfriend in college. We met in the orchestra but we connected because I loved hearing Bob talk about physics.
I fell in love with Bob one night sitting on a bench on the Berkeley campus at twilight just after he told me something about the universe made my head explode. I can’t remember what it was. A year or so later, we were out of love and each romancing the other’s roommate – and by the time we played this piece we were just good friends who loved playing music together.
I think I knew, even then, that music remains even when romance fades.
This is called the 7AM Sonata because that was my favorite time of day.
(I’m adding the movements one day at a time so refresh your screen to see if the next movement has been added)
Movement 1
Interlude #1
Movement 2
This movement starts slowly and then at 1:39 it turns into a waltz – one of the most romantic and playful of musical feels
Interlude #2
Movement 3
I think this might be my favorite movement – just because it’s fun, and fast.
I was thinking I like the 3rd movement the best, because it’s fast and fun. But then I thought … ‘well, then there’s the waltz’ and then I realized, really … honestly … I love them all.
And that’s just the truth. I really love this little piece, and I’m so happy to be sharing it.
Thanks to Lisa Coursey Szwec for this video of her cat, Steve, engaging with the 7AM Sonata.
I reallllllllly! like this.
Ohmygoodness, this is awesome. Beautiful.
Hi Deb!
So nice to read about the 7 am sonata, I remember the tunes fondly. My favorite is the slow movement because of its beautiful melody. I pulled out a recording of it recently with the two of us playing and was happily surprised to hear that it holds up well. I’d love to play it again but I seem to have fallen out of recital mode.
I also want to share how much I loved working on “Persephone Lost” with you,
Celeste, and your Aunt. Was that in NYC or Berkeley?? Love to do it again as well!
I also fondly remember our romance. It was very significant to me to be appreciated by someone so beautiful and, especially, so smart and creative. To think think one could get a full-size harp into a VW bug…I wouldn’t have thought it possible!
Bob