Piano Trio by Brian Raphael Nabors (b. 1991)
I. Hyde to Jeky 0:00
II. A Day in the Life 06:55
III. Jekyll to Hyde 12:30
Gabriela Diaz, Violin
Francesca McNeeley, Cello
Joy Cline Phinney, Piano
Performed as part of BE STIILL AND KNOW Tuesday, October 12, 2021 at 7 PM at An die Musik Live (409 N Charles St., Baltimore, MD 21201)
My piano trio is dedicated to violinist Sydney Ebersohl, cellist Shu-Li Cheah, and pianist Vikki Chen. The piece has a very unique take on form because of its narrative. It is in three movements: I. Hyde to Jekyll, II. A Day In the Life, III. Jekyll to Hyde.
If you’re familiar with the story of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde, you’ll remember the intense battle Dr. Jekyll has with controlling his inner evil personality, Mr. Hyde. Over the course of the story Dr. Jekyll attempts to suppress the evil persona with potions until Mr. Hyde gets so out of hand that he has to take his own life to stop Mr. Hyde’s murderous rampage.
Each movement of the piece is crafted in a way where a “good” battles “evil.” The first movement goes from Mr. Hyde’s chaotic person to Dr.Jekyll’s sweet nature. The second movement, A Day In the Life, is a blues in which both personalities constantly fight each other for control. This idea manifests itself with rapid chaotic interruptions in the same way that Mr. Hyde would interrupt Dr. Jekyll’s daily life in the story.
The third movement is an inverse of the first with a variation of Dr. Jekyll’s theme slowly being taken over by Mr. Hyde, who ultimately seizes complete control through to the end.
-Brian Raphael Nabors
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