Sonata No. 1 by Eric Ewazen Chamber Music - Sheet Music

SKU: PR.114414860

ISBN 9781491138113. UPC: 680160598397. 18 x 12 inches.

Having been a cellist (and occasional bassist) before beginning to compose, Eric Ewazen brings a special warmth and affinity to the lower instruments, and a hands-on feel for low strings. This early work was composed specifically for double bass with harpsichord, offering a transparent texture and neo-Baroque flavor. Now available in a piano adaptation (and with more expressive dynamics), SONATA NO. 1 is a three-movement recital work that brings the best of several worlds.
My SONATA NO. 1 for Double Bass and Piano (or Harpsichord) was premiered at Juilliard by bassist William Everett and harpsichordist Maria Rojas at Juilliard. It was originally intended for harpsichord, and this was my first time composing for that instrument. I wrote the work during a time when I was composing sonatas for many of the string, wind, and brass instruments, focusing on the individual color of these instruments, with each of them accompanied by piano – except for the bass sonata. The work may also be played with piano accompaniment, just as Bach's keyboard music may be played by early keyboard instruments as well as modern piano.Movement I, in a traditional Sonata-Allegro form, opens with a sparkling, rhythmic keyboard accompaniment, and a soaring, singing bass solo. The effect is one of both playfulness and rich resonance. A contrasting second theme is bold and deep, yet also playful and energetic to contrast the first theme.Movement II has a misterioso feeling, quite chromatic and dramatic, with slow steady rhythms and gestures that rise and fall, and with the bass adding pizzicato for more contrast. The music rises and falls as the gestures become increasingly dramatic, reaching a genuine forte as the bass is getting higher and higher, supported by rich full chords and low octaves in the accompaniment, until the coda quiets gently down to a final soft ending.Movement III is a fast, joyful, playfully rhythmic finale with strong, bold chords and gestures. It is quite resonant and even dramatic, but with the feeling of exhilarating energy throughout the movement. The bass sometimes sings over the rhythmic gestures of the accompaniment, sometimes joining in the lively rhythmic motifs, culminating in an exciting, bold, and truly joyful final section.