double bass (2016)
details
Duration: ~ 5:00
Commissioned by: Gahlord Dewald
Premiere: March 2, 2023
Scott Worthington, bass
Cal State University, Los Angeles, CA
purchase
DIGITAL / PDF
Score — $18
Performance materials will be sent via email within 1-3 business days.
program note
I love the idea that music can serve as a talisman. Many of my solo works bear the names of crystals, stones, and plants in celebration of small, beautifully complex, naturally occurring things. Both title and music communicate a character that (to me) suits the musician with whom I am collaborating.
The title Blue John is a bit deceiving. It refers not to Blues music or anyone named John but to a type of crystal called Blue John Fluorite. It is an old, famous fluorite variety that is found only near the town of Castleton in Derbyshire, England.
The purple and cream-banded crystal Blue John is said to carry a calm, stable frequency that brings order to chaos and discordant energies into cohesion and harmony. It encourages altruistic pursuits, inspires trust, and helps one make good decisions. This is an incredibly apt description of my friend Gahlord for whom I originally wrote this work, and of the sense of grounding that double bass often provides in a musical context.