The Mysterious Transformation of Johann B. (2008) by bobcohenmusic

TheMysteriousTransformation ofJohannB.

(ThreeImaginedScenesfromthe LifeofJ.S.Bach) for BbClarinet,Piano&Percussion

I.EchoesfromtheCathedral

II.LeipzigBlues

InstrumentList

ClarinetinBb Piano

(Percussion)

KickBassDrum

3Toms (highmed.,lowmed,floor)

3SuspendedCymbals(small.ride,crash)

SnareDrum

Tambourine(mounted)

2Bongos(mounted)

Claves

Cowbell

Triangle

2Woodblocks(mounted)

ProgramNotes

TheMysteriousTransformationofJohannB.isamusicalexplorationofthreeimaginedscenes from the lifeofJ.S.Bach.

1.Echoesfromthe Cathedral:InAugust1717BachhadsecuredajobasKapellmeisteratthecourt ofPrinceLeopoldinCöthen.Hiscurrentemployer,Duke WiliiamErnset, however,evidentlywantedto havehiscakeandeatit–havingpreviouslysnubbedBachfortheroleofKapellmeister, theDukewas nonethelessdamnedifhewas goingtolethimgoto findasimilarjobelsewhere. Thesubsequent confrontationledtoBach’sarrestandimprisonmentfromNovember6-December2nd1717, setting somethingofa dramaticprecedentinWeimar.Inthismovement,IimagineBachstandingoverhiscoffin experiencingabitofwell-deservedSchadenfreudeastheDukelayinstateafterhisdeathin1728.

2.LeipzigBlues: Workinglateatnight-2chimes denotingthetime -Ol'J.S.isdealing withabad caseofwriter'sblock.Justashethinks he'smadeacreativebreakthrough,hedecidesthatwhathewrote wascrap,crumbles themanuscript andsettlesintoastateofdeepmelancholyasthechimesstrike4.

3.DancingwiththeDevil:With2tatoos onhisforearmandgoldchainsaroundhisneck,Bachwas knowntodrinkquiteabitofalcohol-atleastasixpack ofbeeradayitistold.Hemayhavealso consumedothersubstances.Inanycase,inthismovementBachhas returnedhomefromhisfavoritebierhalle drunkas askunk.Hewandersabouthisstudiotryingtofindhisway tohisharpsichord figuringthatperhaps practicingafewexercisesmightbringhimbacktosomelevelofsobriety. Unfortunately,itdoesn'tgosowell, andafterheepingsomeserioushighlychromaticauralindignitiesupontheBaroque'smusicalempfindsamkeit, hefallsoffthebenchontothefloorwherehiswife,kids,orfamilydogdiscovershimthenextmorning.

I.EchoesfromtheCathedral

            ClarinetinB Percussion Piano         Adagiomisterioso                (like chimes)               3   SnareDr. (sticks)            ´ (soft mallet) Crash               B Cl. Perc. Pno. 6                                        5 (sticks) (soft mallet)                             1

C score

                                    B Cl. Perc. Pno. 10                         (sticks)                                                                           B Cl. Perc. Pno. 13                                         Ridebell Tamb.  cresc. poco a poco                                                                               Toms                                B Cl. Perc. Pno. 16                            Crash (sticks)                                 Toms  flz. poco rit. poco rit.                         Piumosso   18 Crash       2

                     B Cl. Pno. 19                                                                                                                  B Cl. Perc. Pno.  23                                                                  Tri.                                                                             B Cl. Perc. Pno.  26                                                                        Woodblocks B.D.                                                 3

                    B Cl. Perc. Pno.   29                                       30 Bongos                      Toms                              Perc. Pno.   33                                                               Perc. 36                  cresc. poco a poco                     Perc. 38                                  Toms molto rit.   4

                                            B Cl. Perc. Pno.                          40  Ridebell B.D.  Piumosso                                                                                                          B Cl. Perc. Pno. 44                               Ride                           Toms                              46                                 B Cl. Pno. 47                                                           5

               B Cl. Pno. 50                                                                             B Cl. Perc. Pno. 52                                                   Tri.                                                                        B Cl. Perc. Pno. 54                                                                               6

                            B Cl. Perc. Pno. 56                                                                                                           B Cl. Pno.                               sub.  58 sub.                                                          B Cl. Pno. 60                                                                       7

         B Cl. Pno. 62                                                                                             B Cl. Perc. Pno.                                         64  B.D. Crash                                                             B Cl. Perc. Pno. 66                                                                                      8

                            B Cl. Perc. Pno.   68                                                                                                                B Cl. Perc. Pno.                                6 6 6 6 6                                   70   Crash Toms                           B Cl. Perc. Pno. 71                          66 6 6                              9

                    B Cl. Perc. Pno. 72                               6 6 6 66                                                     B Cl. Perc. Pno. 73                          6 6 6 6                                      B Cl. Perc. Pno. 74                          6 6 6 6                                    10

            B Cl. Perc. Pno.                75                                                      B Cl.      Tempoprimo 79             Perc. Pno. 82              3  Snare Dr.  (like chimes)                                                              B Cl. Perc. Pno. 86                 3                       ´                  6                  11

2.LeipzigBlues

         Percussion Piano               Ridebell leggiero Andante                                        3 Claves                                                 B Cl. Perc. Pno. 7                                                                        9                                             12

    B Cl. Perc. Pno. 12                                                                                                    3                                 B Cl. Perc. Pno. 17                                                                                                                   B Cl. Perc. Pno. 22                                                                                                                   3    13

    B Cl. Perc. Pno.                      (bell)  26  (sticks)                                              (soft mallet)                            B Cl. Perc. Pno. 30                                                                                        B Cl. Perc. Pno. 34                                                                                                   14

    B Cl. Perc. Pno. 37                                                                                        B Cl. Perc. Pno. 39                                                                                       B Cl. Perc. Pno. 41                                                                                42      15

    B Cl. Perc. Pno. 43                                                                                    B Cl. Perc. Pno. 45                                                                                 B Cl. 48                                Pno. 51          (like chimes)                            16

   Perc. Pno.                        Ridebell  55 Tempoprimo                                                                       B Cl. Pno. 59                                                                                            B Cl. Perc. Pno. 63                                                                             3 Claves                             17

   B Cl. Pno. 67                                                                                        B Cl. Perc. Pno. 71                                                                                                                  B Cl. Perc. Pno. 75                                                  rit.                         ATempo 77                           3 morendo morendo morendo  18

    B Cl. Perc. Pno. 79                                                rit.               (soft mallet)               19

3.DancingwiththeDevil

                    ClarinetinB Percussion Piano      Allegro  Snare.Dr. (Snare on)        Crash. B.D.                                                                                                                      B Cl. Perc. Pno.  5                                                                                                                                                      20

    B Cl. Perc. Pno.  8                                                                                                                                                                            B Cl. Perc. Pno.  11                                                                              12 Toms                                          B Cl. Perc. Pno. 14                 Snare.Dr.                                                  21

    B Cl. Perc. Pno.  18                                                                                                                            Perc. Pno. 21                  ´  Sm.Cym                                                 23                B Cl. Pno. 24                                                           22

                    B Cl. Perc. Pno. 26                                                        Tri.                                   B Cl. Pno. 29                                                                                      B Cl. Perc. Pno. 31                                                                                                     23

   B Cl. Pno. 33                                                                                  B Cl. Perc. Pno. 35                                                                              Sm.                 B Cl. Perc. Pno. 37                                                                24

    B Cl. Perc. Pno. 39                                Tamb. (Stick)                                                     B Cl. Perc. Pno. 41                                       W.B. Cowbell Crash. Snr. B.D.                                                          B Cl. Pno. 43                                                                                     25

         B Cl. Pno. 45                                                                                                      B Cl. Perc. Pno. 47                    B.D. Crash Snr.                               48  Cowbell                                                           B Cl. Perc. Pno. 50                                         Sm.Cym                                                 26

    B Cl. Perc. Pno. 52                                                  Tom W.B.                                                               B Cl. Perc. Pno. 54                                       dim. poco a poco dim. poco a poco                                            Perc. 56                    W.B.               Toms                                  Perc. 59                                                  27

  Perc. 62                      dim. poco a poco                                         Snr.        Perc. 65                                              Ride               6                    Perc. 68                          Ride              6                     6                  Perc. 71              6                6             6 6                            3 3  Crash        Perc. 74                              3 3                           3 3                              3 3      Perc. 77                                                              Perc. 79                             accel. poco a poco                                                    Perc.                         82   Piumosso                                                       28

    Perc. 85                                                                                             Perc. 88                                        Perc. 91          dim. poco a poco          molto rit.          3                       B Cl. Perc. Pno.                 Menomosso  94  (soft mallet)                                                                         B Cl. Perc. Pno.  97                                                           29

                     B Cl. Pno. 100                                                              B Cl. Pno. 103                                                      B Cl. Pno. 106                                        poco rit.                     B Cl. Perc. Pno.                  108  Piumosso                                         30

                            B Cl. Perc. Pno. 111                                                          ·                       B Cl. Pno. 114                                                       B Cl. Pno. 117                                                      B Cl. Pno. 120                                                                  rit.   31

                     Perc. Pno.                  cresc. poco a poco  (soft mallet) Crash  123 Unpocopiumosso                                  Pno. 125                  accel. poco a poco                                  Perc. Pno. 127           3 3                   cresc. poco a poco  (Sticks)             3 3                                    Perc. Pno. 129            3 3                             3 3                     32

         Perc. Pno. 131                           cresc. poco a poco                                                                                     B Cl. Perc. Pno.                          Piumosso   134                                                  B Cl. Pno. 136                                                                              33

    B Cl. Perc. Pno. 138                                                                                  B Cl. Perc. Pno. 140                                                                                      rit.                        B Cl. Perc. Pno.                                 142    ATempo                                          Cowbell        34

    B Cl. Perc. Pno. 144                                                                                              B Cl. Perc. Pno.                             146                                    B Cl. Perc. Pno. 148                                             Tri.                                                                  35

    B Cl. Perc. Pno. 150                                                                                                                     B Cl. Perc. Pno. 152                                                                                 153                 B Cl. Perc. Pno.  154                                                                                                               36

    B Cl. Perc. Pno. 156                                                                                                                     sub. sub.  sub.  sub.       B Cl. Perc. Pno. 158                                                                                                         37

    B Cl. Perc. Pno. 160                                                                                                                               B Cl. Perc. Pno.  162                                                                                                                                            38