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

TheMysteriousTransformation ofJohannB.

ImaginedScenesfromthe LifeofJ.S.Bach) for BbClarinet&Piano

(Three

RobertS.Cohen

ProgramNotes

TheMysteriousTransformationofJohannB.isamusicalexplorationofthreeimaginedscenesfrom thelifeofJ.S.Bach.

1.EchoesfromtheCathedral:InAugust1717Bach hadsecuredajob asKapellmeisteratthecourt ofPrinceLeopoldinCöthen.Hiscurrentemployer,Duke WiliiamErnset, however,evidentlywantedto havehiscakeandeatit–havingpreviouslysnubbedBachfortheroleofKapellmeister,theDukewas nonethelessdamnedifhewasgoingtolethimgo tofindasimilarjob elsewhere. Thesubsequentconfrontation ledtoBach’sarrestandimprisonmentfromNovember6 -December2nd1717,settingsomethingofa dramatic precedentinWeimar.Inthis movement,IimagineBachstandingoverhiscoffinexperiencingabit ofwell-deservedSchadenfreudeastheDukelayinstateafterhisdeathin1728.

2.LeipzigBlues: Workinglateatnight-2chimes denotingthetime-Ol'J.S.isdealingwithabadcaseof writer's block.Justashethinkshe'smadeacreativebreakthrough,hedecidesthatwhathewrotewascrap,crumbles themanuscript andsettlesintoastateofdeepmelancholyasthechimesstrike4.

3.DancingwiththeDevil:With 2tatoos onhisforearmand gold chainsaroundhisneck,Bachwasknownto drinkquiteabitofalcohol-atleastasixpackofbeeradayitistold.Hemayhavealsoconsumedothersubstances. Inanycase, inthismovementBachhasreturnedhomefromhisfavoritebierhalledrunkasaskunk.Hewanders abouthisstudiotryingto findhiswayto hisharpsichord figuringthatperhapspracticing afewexercisesmight bringhimbacktosome level ofsobriety.Unfortunately,itdoesn'tgosowell,andafterheepingsomeserious highlychromaticauralindignitiesupontheBaroque'smusicalempfindsamkeit,hefallsoffthebenchontothe floorwherehiswife, kids,orfamilydogdiscovershimthenextmorning.

I.EchoesfromtheCathedral

         ClarinetinB Piano        Adagiomisterioso  semplice             (like chimes)                              6                                                                                           10                                                                        1

score

               13                             cresc. poco a poco cresc. poco a poco                                                                            16                                                           flz. poco rit. poco rit.                        Piumosso    18                  19                                                                                   22                                                                                     2

                25                                                                                                                     28                                                                                                            31                                                          rit. rit.                                               33   Piumosso                                               3

                                                 39                                                                       43                                                              45                                                        47                                                                                                                                                  51                                                                  4

                           54                                                                                                                                        sub. 57 sub.                                                          59                                                                       5

         61                                                                                                                               63                                             65                                                                                          67                                                                                       6

                                              6 6 6 6 6                        69                     70                          66 6 6                                      71                                6 6 6 66                                          72                          6 6 6 6                         7

   73                          6 6 6 6                                              74                                                         Tempoprimo 78  semplice             (like chimes)                                                          84                                                                    N  8

      Piano           Andante leggiero                                                                     7                                                                 9                                              12                                                                                                                  9

Leipzig

Blues

   17                                                                                                             22                                                                                                                             26                                                                30                                                                                 10

   34                                                                                 37                                                                      39                                                                   11

   41                                                                    42       43                                                                          45                                                                  12

     48                                 51          (like chimes) rit. poco a poco                                                 55 Tempoprimo                                                               59                                                                                           63                                                                                            13

   67                                                                                       71                                                                                                          75                                               rit.                     ATempo 77                     morendo morendo     79                                          rit.                         14

3.DancingwiththeDevil

               ClarinetinB Piano    Allegro                                                                                                              4                                                                                                                                  7                                                                                                                            15

                10                                                       11                             13                                                           16                                                                                                          16

                         19                                                                   22                                                                     25                                                                                    27                                                                          17

   29                                                                                  31                                                         33                                                            35                                                                         18

   37                                                                        39                                                                                             41                                                                                                43                                            44                                              19

   46                                                                                  48                               dim. poco a poco dim. poco a poco rit. rit.                                                                                      Menomosso  51                                                                            55                                                             20

         59                                                                  62                                                          poco rit.                                65  Piumosso                                                  68                                                 21

                     71                                                     74                                                         77                                                              rit. rit.                                       Unpocopiumosso 80  cresc. poco a poco                   22

              82                  accel. poco a poco                           84           3 3                             3 3                             86            3 3                           3 3                         88                  cresc. poco a poco                                                                                     91 Piumosso                                            23

   93                                                                                 95                                                                                   97                                                                                rit.                                                  99   ATempo                                        24

   101                                                                                                   103                                 105                                                                                                        107                                                                                                25

   109                                                             110              111                                                                             113                                                                                             sub. sub. sub.    115                                                                                                 26

   117                                                                                                       119                                                                                                                 27