"Air," from Piano Sonata Op. 19, by Jeraldine S. Herbison

Herbison’s Piano Sonata Op. 19 is a technically demanding work featuring idiomatic writing inspired by the Baroque, Classical, and Romantic eras. The sonata contains four movements, Prelude, Rondo, Scherzo, and Air. The Prelude and Air are written in a lean neoclassical style, while the denser and lengthier Rondo and Scherzo contain brilliant, virtuosic passagework. Pianists need to be familiar playing music from all eras to effectively interpret the complete sonata, with particular emphasis on a strong LH technique to master Herbison’s frequent use of LH scales written in 32nd notes. Listen for the deft and charming counterpoint that evokes the character of a Baroque suite and the aforementioned LH scales in this performance of Air, the final movement of the Sonata.

Jeraldine Saunders Herbison (b. 1941) is a violinist and retired orchestra teacher who taught in Virginia and Maryland. She studied at Virginia State College and the University of Michigan at Interlochen, and her teachers include Undine Smith Moore. Her compositions include many vocal works, orchestral works, and chamber works, especially works for her cellist husband Dr. James Herbison, several of which can be found in the Walker-Hill collection.

Sources

• Jeraldine Saunders Herbison. The African American Arts Song Alliance.
• Photo from Walker-Hill, Helen. (2002). From Spirituals to Symphonies. University of Illinois Press