One day, two years ago, when there were no visitors in the galleries I was guarding at the Cincinnati Art Museum, I hummed and softly whistled my way into the mysterious realm where tunes are born. I found one there, waiting for me. Right away, I knew it was a keeper -- simple and heartfelt, like the best old American hymn tunes.

When I sang it for Jo that evening, she said, "That's in your Grandma Moses style."

She was referring to a music critic who had recently quipped: "Sowash has a unique style which I can only describe by saying that if Grandma Moses composed music, I think this is what it would sound like."

We laugh about it though I've never been sure if he intended the comparison as a compliment or a jibe.

I like Grandma Moses' paintings just fine. I might have preferred a comparison to Grant Wood or Thomas Hart Benton, but Grandma Moses was true to her vision and possessed an instantly recognizable American style. I hope the same might be said of my best work.

For my own amusement, I wrote a set of variations on the tune, easy enough for me to play on the recorder, titling it "Variations on a Tune by Grandma Moses." The tune being hymn-like, I set up my music stand in the center aisle of my church one Sunday morning and played the piece as an Offertory.

Then I thought I should find some words to sing with this tune so that it could serve as a hymn. I found a versified setting of Psalm 23 that fell into place with the music. Then I expanded the hymn into an anthem for four-part choir and piano titled, "Emerald Fields."

In the process, I cooked up a few more variations and re-scored the Grandma Moses Variations, first for solo clarinet and then for that noblest of instruments, the cello. Because I can't play any stringed instruments, I always send my cello scores to my old friend Terry King, requesting his suggestions. He always delivers. With Terry's help, I soon had a fine set of cello variations, ready to share with any cellist who might be interested. But Terry said, "You shouldn't call this piece 'Grandma Moses Variations.' Your music may have some traits in common with her work, but she was a primitive and you are not."

Terry is always right. Thinking about the hymn setting and the anthem and my having played the tune on my recorder during a worship service, I re-named the expanded piece, "Sunday Morning Variations." Then I sent a PDF of the score to all my cellist friends.

One of them, Suzanne Mueller, kindly included her rendition of the piece on her CD, Solitaire. She sent the CD to America's classical music radio stations and I'll bet they are broadcasting it on Sunday mornings!

To hear Suzanne playing my Sunday Morning Variations, click on the link above.

To see a PDF of the score, click on the link above.

Rick Sowash
Cincinnati, OH
April 13, 2014

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This morning, something different.

For reasons explained below, I’m inviting you to view a 4-minute clip from “Old Gringo,” one of Gregory Peck’s last films.

His manner and look, his speech and delivery are wonderful. Oddly, the film, as a whole, fails and I can't recommend it. But this one scene … ah! I’ve viewed it a hundred times. Copy and paste this link into your browser:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hXHiDsQYt6E&feature=youtu.be

It moves me. Peck seems to be speaking for himself as an actor and on behalf of all “Elder artists” … such as myself.

When his character says, “I promised I would do something grand, something really grand!” …

When he says, “I would write the most beautiful poem … that would make people cry with happiness, love with desperation, make them feel they understood the meaning of their existence on this earth” …

When he says, “… and since I was little more than a child and every hour seemed filled with, with limitless possibilities, I told her, ‘Just for a short while” …

And finally, when he says, “For fifty years, I wrote! I wrote! I wrote while my youth drifted by…”

He could just as well be speaking for himself, saying “For fifty years, I acted! I acted!”

He could just as well be speaking for me, saying, “For fifty years, I composed! I composed music!”

The scene ends with a kiss, shared as the sun is setting behind the mountains. Lee Holdridge's film score, though barely audible, is perfect. I love Peck’s smile, in the last shot we see of him. He glows with affection.

Gregory Peck, I miss you.

I have arrived at the moment Peck evokes in this scene. An Elder artist, my life’s work almost behind me, still ready, all the same, to share a kiss and a smile as the sun sets behind the mountains.

What kiss? I still kiss my dear wife, yes, but the kiss I mean to share, in the larger sense, is the giving away of my life’s work … to you, dear email recipient, and to anyone who expresses an interest in discovering it.

I put down my composing pen eight years ago, produced my 17th and final CD three years ago, and published what will most likely be my final book a month ago.

What remains is to get my life’s work ‘out there’ where folks can access it, free of charge. Else, what was the point of fifty years of effort “while my youth drifted by...”?

That’s how it is, too, with this new, last book, “Was That Your Piece?”, a collection of my humorous writings. Ask me and I’ll send you a hard copy, free. If you want to send a contribution in turn, fine. My address is below. All the profits will go to the scholarship fund at the school where I teach. But no contribution is necessary.

If you don’t want another book taking up space in your home, ask me to send you a free PDF of it instead.

Regarding W.T.Y.P.?, one of you wrote: “Thank you for a thoroughly delightful book and for bringing joy to my soul. My husband said he has never heard me laugh so much while reading a book.”

Another wrote: “I read it twice and loved it. I want another copy to give to my best friend.”

Now, don’t worry about me. I’m happier than I have been since I was ten years old. The draining stresses of mid-life are behind me and I’m still plenty creative in my teaching and in the formulation of our plans for the gardens and landscaping that will surround what will most likely be our last home.

These Sunday morning emails, which you kindly permit me to send are yet another venue for creativity.

There’s something about Sunday morning that makes it feel like the right time for this manner of sharing.

There’s something of Sunday morning, too, in my solo cello piece titled “Sunday Morning Variations.” See if you agree. To hear Suzanne Mueller’s superb rendition, click on the link above.

To see a PDF of the score, click on the link above.

🎶 🎶 🎶 🎶 🎶

This morning, something that is sure to delight you!

Sherill Roberts is an Oregon cellist who enthuses over my music, bless her heart.

During normal times, she plays in the Newport Symphony. But, as with all performing arts during this dull time, that activity is on hold. In the meantime, the symphony expresses it gratitude for the continued support of its audience by offering videos featuring solos by various members of the orchestra.

For her part in this series, Sherill chose to play my “Sunday Morning Variations” for solo cello in a video she made in her home. She introduces herself, the symphony and the piece, speaking to viewers directly, as if we are right in front of her.

What’s more -- and this is clever -- she introduces each of the variations by sharing the humorous indications I put in the score describing the character of each variation.

Audiences are not usually aware of these; they are “an inside joke” between the composer and the performer. Sherill shares them -- and plays the music -- with the flair of a storyteller. Watching her face as she plays is a treat. It’s as if she is entertaining a small child and loving every minute of it.

I have never experienced music in this way. Perhaps this is one of the few ‘up-sides’ or ‘silver linings’ that comes with the necessity of living so much of our lives ‘on-line’ nowadays. In normal times, we would not meet Sherill now watch and listen to her playing and sharing in this way.

Sherill (which is pronounced the same as “Cheryl,”) mispronounces my name. It should be SO-wahsh. The first syllable is heavily accented and the second syllable should be pronounced as in the verb “to wash.” Instead, she rhymes it with “ash.” An innocent error and one that has often been made by classical music radio broadcasters. Still, I wanted to set the record straight.

Some of you may recognize the tune and some of the variations from your having heard or played my “Variations on a Theme by Grandma Moses” for solo clarinet. The explanation is that I wrote this music first as a set of clarinet variations but then rescored and expanded it into the piece for cello you’ll hear shortly.

To see and hear the youtube featuring Sherill Roberts playing my “Sunday Morning Variations,” copy and paste this link into your browser:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YIWIDUxGhIE&feature=youtu.be

To see a PDF of the score, click on the link above.