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Danziger: Piercing Silence for Bass Trombone and Piano (PDF)

Danziger: Piercing Silence for Bass Trombone and Piano (PDF)

$40.00 USD
$40.00 USD
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John Danziger: Piercing Silence for Bass Trombone & Piano
Duration: 26mins
(Mvmnts. can be played independently)

"Jonah and his wife have very strong ties to Oxford high school. Jonah is a private lesson teacher and his wife is a music teacher. There was a tragedy that took place at Oxford High School on November 30th 2021 that took the life of 4 students. After talking to Jonah, I realized how much this has impacted him. He showed me pictures of the community coming together and unifying after the shooting. It was truly remarkable to see. “Piercing Silence” is about how the community of Oxford united to bring comfort and stability in such times.

The first movement “Unanswered” is the feeling of suppressed frustration. Questions that remain questions. It almost embodies the feeling of helplessness, wanting to do more but unable. The movement starts out calm, the frustration is buried deep within. As the movement progresses, the anger begins to boil, rising slowly but incessantly. As the boiling point reaches its climax the music begins to morph out of tonality and into chaos. Angst, dread, anxiety, grief, confusion, all colliding at once. The movement ends with a question, which the answer will never be given.

The second movement “Remembrances” is dedicated to those who passed. This is my way of mourning, a lament bass which repeats over, and over, never ceasing. It becomes filled with sorrow, anguish, and heartache as the music progresses. Ending the way it started, cherishing the memories of those not here.

The third movement “Fight On” is where unity overtakes everything else. When I first sat down to write this movement, I truly was at a loss. After writing the first two movements, my mind didn’t want to compose any more. So I decided to go with a simplistic melody. After showing Jonah, he told me the first two notes are the first to notes in the Oxford fight song. I had originally named the third movement “Oxford Strong” but after hearing that I coincidentally wrote the start of their fight song, I changed it to the name of their fight song “Fight On”. This is where the melody that was hinted at in the last two movements blossoms and shines. During this movement there will also be a slideshow of the community of Oxford uniting as one."
- John Danziger
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