Blues For Harp, Oboe, and Violoncello (1986) was my first effort to create a blues-inspired work that could distill and express blues essence via classical instrumentation and contemporary compositional technique.  The mission to put blues on the serious concert music stage was the primary force leading me to composition;  I was hoping that this "experiment" would be successful. 

The performance presented here (and on my CD) is the result of three extraordinary talents.

Thanks to CRS Records, my piece fell into the accomplished hands of cellist Bryan Dumm, Yolanda Kondonassis, and oboist John Mack.  Mr. Dumm is a well-regarded veteran of the acclaimed Cleveland Orchestra.  Ms. Kondonassis is a world-renown harpist who made her debut with the New York Philharmonic at age eighteen.  She is celebrated as one of the world's premiere and most recorded solo harpists; John Mack was hailed by the New York Times as "the dean of American oboists,"  regarded as among the top two or three in the world. 

“I should have had holes put in my shoes to create a more authentic performance," legendary oboist John Mack quipped to me before the Cleveland premiere.  

Needless to say, I was honored to include the artistry of these three stellar musicians on my CD. 

I am proud to say that Blues For Harp, Oboe, and Violoncello has proven to be my most- performed piece; one that has gotten the attention of fine musicians from around the USA and Europe.  The world premiere was performed by Pittsburgh

Orchestra musicians (who performed the work in PA twice).  It was played then in Cleveland, OH ;  Washington, D.C.; Stockholm, Sweden;  Jackson, MS; and,  last I heard, at the Breckenridge Music Festival in Breckenridge, Colorado.  I suspect that it was performed in other cities as well -- at least the musicians other cities have acquired score and parts from me with that intention!

String quartets are to me the most intimate of ensembles. Homogenous, each instrument speaks exactly the same language, but yet each   unique in tone color and range. The possibilities are endless, as evidenced in the great works of  Mozart, Haydn, Beethoven, and modern masters such as Bartok and Carter.  
"In a letter to the composer Zelter​ in 1829, Goethe​ described the string quartet as a conversation between four reasonable, intelligent people, and no one fostered that conversation with as much wit and elegance as Haydn."

In remembrance of  the horrendous Parkland massacre. A dedication to the survivors' bravery and commitment --  as we remember and mourn the seventeen slain students at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School, Parkland, Florida; February 14, 2018.

My orchestral tribute to the Parkland Five 

This is a programmatic work intended to recreate my musical vision of this event, separated into six brief movements: 

I. Prologue and Routine /  II. The Classroom /  III. Heinous Monster /  

IV. Dead Silence / V. Endless Grief / VI. MSD!: March For Our Lives.  

What is not heard in this replication is the chant that the orchestra players are to shout in the last movement : “MSD !…. MSD STRONG !, a rallying call of the school’s initials shouted to and from the groups of students who were marching.  

I was moved to compose this work as a response to the infinite sadness, empathy, and ANGER that I felt, having the privilege of standing with these proud and brave survivors that day in Washington, DC.. this is how I described it :

"Yesterday, at 8 AM I traveled by train to the “March For Our Lives” rally in Washington, D.C… I went there in support of the amazing young people who, it seems, might be this nation’s only hope to ever reverse the absurd homicidal direction that the lack of reasonable gun laws has allowed. This very intelligent and effective movement is now comprised of young people around the country who have suffered gun violence. It has partnered survivors of the latest horrendous massacre at Parkland, Florida with those of Columbine, Sandy Hook, Newtown, Pulse, Charleston, et al . It has also joined forces with youth groups in Chicago, Los Angeles, and other cities that have long been dealing with gun violence— or the threat of it— every single day. 

The speakers ranged in age from eight to nearly 20 years of age-- they were not speaking out of political bent or ego of position; they were angry and showed justification; they were passionate and let their passion erupt; they were politically aware of the difficult political realities that lay ahead, and showed a firm commitment to stay on course. Each had his or her own poetry and was unique.

I am hardly ashamed to say, that tears were in my eyes most of the day… it was deadly serious, endlessly sad, and yet excitingly hopeful.

Scattered, but in force among the crowd, were many students, both current and alumni— from Parkland, Florida’s Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School ( “MSD!!” as they chanted loudly throughout the event..”MSD STRONG!!”). These were the young people who suffered the life-changing trauma and unfathomable grief at losing family and friends to the latest of heinous mass child murder in the United States.

The crowd of 800,000 people, of all ages, ethnicities, and denominations was overwhelming. We were all standing so close to each other that our bodies seemed linked as one, to the cause. 

I picked up conversations that led me to believe that some of the survivors were next to, and behind me.

Turning to a girl directly behind me I said, “Were you there that day?” She responded softly, “No, but my friend was,” pointing to a younger girl standing next to her. The second girl looked at me with tears in her eyes, baring a depth of grief I have never before seen in the eyes of anyone. As she looked at me—as if for answers— all I could say was, “I am so sorry that happened to you and your friends.” I heard myself say, ”..it is unspeakable”. A woman who I believe was her mother, and perhaps an affiliate at the school, locked eyes with me, echoing the depth of her daughter’s grief.  A young man was to my right, and it occurred to me that he might too be part of the Stoneman group. I asked him if he was at the scene, and he told me that he wasn’t in the same room as the shooter but down the hall or in another building close by… His eyes, too, welled up throughout the day.

I had precious little to offer … besides a continuing commitment to become more involved. More a part of this heroic, historical national movement —however I could—a movement that exposes one of the ugliest, gaping rips in the American texture. I said to an older African American gentleman standing next to me with his family, “Today we are all MSD.”

In remembrance of  the horrendous Parkland massacre. A dedication to the survivors' bravery and commitment --  as we remember and mourn the seventeen slain students at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School, Parkland, Florida; February 14, 2018.

My orchestral tribute to the Parkland Five 

This is a programmatic work intended to recreate my musical vision of this event, separated into six brief movements: 

I. Prologue and Routine /  II. The Classroom /  III. Heinous Monster /  

IV. Dead Silence / V. Endless Grief / VI. MSD!: March For Our Lives.  

What is not heard in this replication is the chant that the orchestra players are to shout in the last movement : “MSD !…. MSD STRONG !, a rallying call of the school’s initials shouted to and from the groups of students who were marching.  

I was moved to compose this work as a response to the infinite sadness, empathy, and ANGER that I felt, having the privilege of standing with these proud and brave survivors that day in Washington, DC.. this is how I described it :

"Yesterday, at 8 AM I traveled by train to the “March For Our Lives” rally in Washington, D.C… I went there in support of the amazing young people who, it seems, might be this nation’s only hope to ever reverse the absurd homicidal direction that the lack of reasonable gun laws has allowed. This very intelligent and effective movement is now comprised of young people around the country who have suffered gun violence. It has partnered survivors of the latest horrendous massacre at Parkland, Florida with those of Columbine, Sandy Hook, Newtown, Pulse, Charleston, et al . It has also joined forces with youth groups in Chicago, Los Angeles, and other cities that have long been dealing with gun violence— or the threat of it— every single day. 

The speakers ranged in age from eight to nearly 20 years of age-- they were not speaking out of political bent or ego of position; they were angry and showed justification; they were passionate and let their passion erupt; they were politically aware of the difficult political realities that lay ahead, and showed a firm commitment to stay on course. Each had his or her own poetry and was unique.

I am hardly ashamed to say, that tears were in my eyes most of the day… it was deadly serious, endlessly sad, and yet excitingly hopeful.

Scattered, but in force among the crowd, were many students, both current and alumni— from Parkland, Florida’s Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School ( “MSD!!” as they chanted loudly throughout the event..”MSD STRONG!!”). These were the young people who suffered the life-changing trauma and unfathomable grief at losing family and friends to the latest of heinous mass child murder in the United States.

The crowd of 800,000 people, of all ages, ethnicities, and denominations was overwhelming. We were all standing so close to each other that our bodies seemed linked as one, to the cause. 

I picked up conversations that led me to believe that some of the survivors were next to, and behind me.

Turning to a girl directly behind me I said, “Were you there that day?” She responded softly, “No, but my friend was,” pointing to a younger girl standing next to her. The second girl looked at me with tears in her eyes, baring a depth of grief I have never before seen in the eyes of anyone. As she looked at me—as if for answers— all I could say was, “I am so sorry that happened to you and your friends.” I heard myself say, ”..it is unspeakable”. A woman who I believe was her mother, and perhaps an affiliate at the school, locked eyes with me, echoing the depth of her daughter’s grief.  A young man was to my right, and it occurred to me that he might too be part of the Stoneman group. I asked him if he was at the scene, and he told me that he wasn’t in the same room as the shooter but down the hall or in another building close by… His eyes, too, welled up throughout the day.

I had precious little to offer … besides a continuing commitment to become more involved. More a part of this heroic, historical national movement —however I could—a movement that exposes one of the ugliest, gaping rips in the American texture. I said to an older African American gentleman standing next to me with his family, “Today we are all MSD.”

When I arrived back home, I had a new piece!   

This is my most-performed work.  At least five string quartets have performed it both here in the USA and abroad. It had its premiere as part of the Smithsonian Institution Chamber Music Series, the fine Axelrod String Quartet receiving standing ovations at the conclusion of both performances that weekend. It has been peformed in Sweden multiple times, and featured on local television in Baltimore.  The present performance was part of a program held at Harold Washington Library in Chicago during the same weekend that my "Three Songs for Bluesman and Orchestra" -- a work commissioned by the Chicago Sinfonietta--was premiered at Dominican College and repeated the next evening at Symphony Center, home of the Chicago Symphony.

"Speaking of The Blues," a program held at Chicago's Harold Washington Library on May 9, 2008, featured composer Larry Hoffman and his work, "String Quartet #1: The Blues," as performed by the New Millennium Orchestra String Quartet : Elizabeth Choi, first violin; Blagomira Lipari, second violin; Dominic Johnson (leader), viola; and Eric Schaeffer, violoncello. 

I was interviewed by--and discussed various aspects of the blues with host Barry Dolins, series founder, blues aficionado, and Chicago's Deputy Director at the Mayor's Office Of Special Events. 

This video is presented courtesy of the Music Division of the Chicago Public Library: Christopher Popa, Executive Producer of video; and Director, Music Information Center, Chicago Public Library. 

Digital / audio transfer by Ed Tetreault, manager of The Peabody Conservatory Department of Recording Arts & Sciences.

Music Division Of The Chicago Public Library
Composer / Speaker: Larry Hoffman
Host / Speaker: Barry Dolins
Musicians: New Millennium Orchestra String Quartet
Violin I: Elizabeth Choi
Violin 2: Blagomira Lipari
Viola (leader): Dominic Johnson
Violoncello: Eric Schaeffer
Music Information Director: Christopher Popa
Digital Transfer: Ed Tetreault
Eighteen Hammers by Johhny Lee Moore ©Atlantic/Rhino runs over beginning credits.

 That is the source of this piece. 

The work morphs over and over again from a musical stillness  to a fantasia / development, exploiting elements of contrapuntal, timbral, and rhythmic design-- each relating and returning to the original "painting," as in a rondo.  

At the musical core of the piece is what I discovered, watching closely the rhythmic motion of the birds, as they moved in an unbroken and continuous pattern. The movements were rhythmically uniformed --although they varied in tempo. This pattern became increasingly more complex as the number of birds increased, and the tempi disparity became more and more pronounced.

Their movements, however,  broke into two clear patterns:

1) groups of six steps followed by 

2) a smaller number of groups of four steps---always returning to the initial group of six.

 Each group was punctuated by an accent on the next-to-last beat. The pattern became This was astonishingly regular -- no variance. The routine created a predictable, rhythmic pattern that I used as a base -- one that interacted contrapuntally with musical representations of the unpredictable parade of  "musical winds and oncoming tide," as well as with the random calls of the various birds in flight. Indeed, this was music that needed to be notated  and remembered.   

This is my homage to "Old Time Music," or "Old -Timey Music" -- the genre of country music that pre-dated and informed bluegrass. "Old time music" is an American folk music that developed in concert with various folk dances, and is said to be the oldest form of North American traditional music other than that of the indigenous Native Americans. To quote Wikipedia, " the roots of old-time music are in the  traditional musics of the British Isles (primarily Great Britain and Ireland)-- and Europe. African influences are notably found in instruments such as the banjo." 

As a teenager I sought out and learned tunes from recordings of this music, played and sung by revivalist groups like The New Lost City Ramblers. I traced the origin of the songs to the older 78 recordings originally released in the twenties and thirties by great and colorfully-titled groups like "Gid Tanner and the Skillet Lickers." 

I sang and played a lot of these tunes on guitar, banjo, and autoharp -- instruments that I taught myself to play. Harmonizing with my friends as we sat around our living rooms, or by the stream across from my parents' house, was a wonderful part of my musical teenage years.

Many years later,  I wanted to give this music presence in a "classical format," using traditional compositional techniques to expand on themes, lend different colors, and create contrapuntal webbing and harmonic variance to expand on this wonderful traditional language-- all the while striving to keep close to its roots.