The Shoulders of Giants Melt Under My Feet
This work embraces the history of cello performance as a valuable entity rather than as a linear progression from simpler material to more refined and complex music of the 21st century. It references many generations of composers from J.S. Bach to Marcos Balter and melds them to create a new cello language. Look through the score to see references to particular pieces. While it was originally composed for John Popham and his baroque cello, it would work equally well on a modern cello.
Premiered at Black Mountain College on April 20th, 2024 by John Popham as a part of an annual interdisciplinary arts event The {Re}HAPPENING