JH: My wife, Ramona, and I have a daughter who will be four years old in August. Since the shelter in place went into effect, we’ve all been home together most of the time. Having a young child at home 24/7 is a never-ending adventure and journey of imagination and discovery. We do a lot of playing, gardening, swimming, and learning. Thankfully, I was already teaching online through Modesto Junior College, and my church work also migrated to the virtual world, so we’re able to keep the lights on.
MSO: Thinking about your recital now, can you tell us about the Ravel and Chopin pieces you’ve programmed?
JH: Ravel’s Jeux d’eau, which means “Fountains”, is a great image for a hot summer season. It’s a beautiful, sparkling masterpiece by the great French composer—fun to perform and fun to listen to! Ballade No. 4 in F Minor, Op. 52, is one of Chopin’s mature masterpieces. It has everything one associates with Chopin—haunting, lyrical melodies, lush harmonies, and breathtaking pianistic writing.
MSO: You’ve programmed your composition, Nocturne, to end the program. Are there any ties from the Ravel and the Chopin to your Nocturne?
JH: My Nocturne was written in 1990 and is very much in the vein of Chopin, Ravel, Rachmaninoff, and Scriabin—all great Romantic or Impressionist composers whose music can be both poetic, yet often deep and melancholy. This Nocturne explores a twilight world, somewhere between major and minor keys, and is a kind of venture into dreamworlds.
We hope you’ll join us on July 22nd to hear more from John and enjoy our first virtual recital!
