Horn Sonata No. 1

HORN SONATA NO. 1 Program Notes

Movement 1 – Bop improvisers would often deploy phrases over an odd number of bars and overlap their phrases across bar lines and across major harmonic cadences. Charlie Christian and other early boppers would also begin stating a harmony in their improvised line before it appeared in the song form being outlined by the rhythm section. This momentary dissonance creates a strong sense of forward motion in the improvisation and was one of the inspirations for the movement’s material. 3’58

Movement 2 – This movement was inspired by listening to Duke Ellington’s Black, Brown and Beige criticized for its discontinuity and formlessness. Arbitrary classical transitions permeate the work, especially Beige which goes even further towards a loose, episodic kind of development with almost no recapitulation of previous material. 5’05

Movement 3 – This movement’s music is characterized by a fast tempo, and instrumental virtuosity emphasizes weak beats and off beats. Thelonious Monk’s characteristic unorthodox approach to the piano, combining a highly percussive attack with abrupt, dramatic use of silences and hesitations became a key factor in shaping this movement’s structure and phrasing. 6’23

Total Duration: 15’30