Continuing with our series of composer essays about the four new pieces you’ll be hearing at our Dec. 10 concert, here’s some words from Eric Allen. Eric was an original member of the PJCE on trumpet and has contributed many great pieces to our book (including “The Sandwich Maker” which we’ll also be performing on the 10th). He is currently living in New York where he’s performing on cello (his main instrument) and trumpet and is a participant in this year’s BMI Jazz Composers’ Workshop. This year we asked him to write something related to the Christmas season, but interpreted through his own unique compositional lens. We rehearsed his piece last night and it’s going to be a good one! Here’s what he has to say:
In September, Andrew asked me if I would be interested in writing some sort of thing based on Christmas music for PJCO’s December concert. I thought this would be an interesting challenge, so I accepted the task.
I started be researching a lot of old Christmas hymns and chants, some dating back to the 13th century. I found these old melodies very difficult to work with, because they are composed almost entirely of steps, and I prefer melodies with lots of leaps. For no particular reason, I eventually settled on a melody which is associated with “Lo, How a Rose E’er Blooming.”
The challenge was to adapt the melody to my compositional style, but to still have it be recognizable. In my arrangement, I changed which notes in the melody receive more stress. I also used a harmonic progression that is unusual, particularly in Christmas music. As the melody progresses, it loses the characteristics of a chant and gains the characteristics of a swing melody. There are only two verses in my arrangement, which are separated by a solo section.
My hope is that out of all the holiday music the audience encounters this year, my arrangement offers a holiday melody in a new and unfamiliar context.
Next up is our co-director Gus Slayton, stay tuned for some thoughts on his new piece soon. Meanwhile there’s a link over on the right –> for tickets for the Dec. 10 concert! Cheers.