In crafting music that speaks from the heart, I am reminded by the words of Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart. In a letter to his father dated November 8, 1777, Mozart wrote:
I cannot write poetically, for I am no poet.
I cannot artfully arrange my phrases so as to give light and shade.
Neither am I a painter;
Nor can I even express my thoughts by gesture and pantomime, for I am no dancer.
But I can do so in sounds.
I am a musician.
This profound declaration inspired me to create a collection of pieces I call Love Letters. Each piece is a musical expression lasting approximately 3-5 minutes, dedicated to someone dear to me. These compositions are my way of conveying emotions and memories that words alone cannot capture.
This is the second love letter in my collection, and its creation was an unexpected yet intense burst of inspiration. It came to me one morning during a shower—a moment of clarity that set the tone for the entire day. By evening, the piece was fully notated and polished. My immersion in Chopin’s works at the time deeply influenced its composition, though Mozart’s elegance also found its way into the fabric of the music.
The Chopin piece that inspired me has always left me with mixed feelings. Specifically, I thought the choice to resolve to a major chord on the final note felt like a cop-out. I was determined not to do the same in my piece. Yet, as I wrote, it became clear that resolving to the major chord was exactly what the music needed. My apologies to Chopin for borrowing and embracing what I once criticized!
This piece holds a special place in my heart because of its personal backstory. It was originally titled To Lisa From Chopin and Mozart and dedicated to the first woman I lived with romantically. The title evolved after a turning point in our relationship. On the advice of her therapist, she moved out suddenly and without notice. That event lead me to rename it To a Lady. The new title reflects both the elegance and distance that now characterize the memory.
The premiere of A Love Letter: To a Lady From Chopin & Mozart took place in 1991 at a concert of new music at the University of North Texas (UNT). Unfortunately, I can no longer recall who performed it, but I remain grateful for their interpretation of this deeply personal work.
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Tags: Love Letter, piano