In April 2020, during the first wave of the COVID pandemic in America, I was informed by my pulmonologist that because of my asthma, my chances of surviving COVID-19 were about 30% if I were to contract the virus. I barely slept in that month. In those early hours of the morning, I managed to write the first draft of a libretto for a new opera. The only thing that was able to relax me enough to sleep (no amount of medication would do the trick) was listening to Simone Dinnerstein’s Bach recordings. Later in May, having witnessed the extraordinary heroism of so many valiant Americans who had struggled to combat this “invisible enemy”, which was the coronavirus, I thought it fitting at some point to compose a 15-movement cycle for solo piano that would be live streamed by the end of 2020. At that moment, I knew that the end of 2020 would be a challenging and terrible time in America, and my hope was that I could write a work that would somehow give comfort to those who had suffered and struggled through this unprecedented crisis. By mid-May, I was still listening to the recordings of Simone’s Bach to alleviate my anxieties, but I had also begun to think seriously about this new work that I hoped to compose for solo piano.
I eventually spoke with Simone Dinnerstein, thanking her for the therapeutic effect of her playing and also mentioning my idea to her. She was enthusiastic, and a week later the Oregon Bach Festival, through the kindness and industry of their Director of Artistic Administration, Michael Anderson, commissioned the work which I titled An American Mosaic for a livestream premiere performance that would eventually take place on December 6th, 2020. I began work on An American Mosaic on June 5th, 2020 and completed the 15-movement cycle on August 6th of that summer.
The J.S. Bach transcriptions that I composed for Simone were my gift to her for sharing her wonderful artistry with me and with the many others who heard the premiere. The idea of the transcriptions was Simone’s idea, knowing that 50 minutes (which is roughly the length of An American Mosaic) would not be quite enough for a CD.
Interspersed throughout the 15 movements of An American Mosaic are four “Consolations.” The first one, which is the Prologue that begins the piece, involves a monodic theme; the second Consolation, which is 1/3 of the way through the piece, is a two-part invention — a variation on the theme from the Prologue. The third Consolation is a three-voiced fugue, and the last Consolation, which is the Epilogue and coda for the entire work, is a four-part chorale. These four movements are a piece within a piece; the other movements cite pairs of heroic individuals who have displayed extraordinary strength and courage during this difficult time. The dedicatees of those works are representative of those who are singled out as the heroes of our time. Whether they are caretakers and research physicians, parents and children, rabbis and ministers, doctors and interns, or teachers and students, these individuals are the face of America. They comprise a mosaic of heroes that we will never forget. The 14th movement is titled “Prophets & Martyrs” and is dedicated to the black lives lost during this pandemic. There is also a movement titled “The Invisible Enemy” about the virus itself and another one titled “The Visible Enemy” which refers to the Trump administration that existed between 2017 and 2020 in Washington. I believe that the passage of time will reveal those four years to be one of the darkest periods in our American history.
It is ultimately my hope that the recording of this work and of the Bach transcriptions brings solace, healing, and comfort to those who have suffered and struggled in these terrible times. By the time of this CD’s release, I pray that we will see the light at the end of this extraordinarily dark tunnel.
Richard Danielpour January, 2021