The Battle of Trenton

Description

Flute, Clarinet in A, Violin, Viola, Violoncello, Piano — James Hewitt (1770-1827) wrote the original piano sonata that this arrangement comes from. Hewitt, a great admirer of George Washington, wrote this piece to tell the story of the pivotal Battle of Trenton, adding it to the then-common genre known as Battaglia music. The piece begins with the crossing of the Delaware River, to the battle and lament for the dead, to the final dance-like celebration of the victory. Somers' arrangement features an instrumentation that is of the period in which the original was written while simultaneously incorporating Somers' great storytelling ability through music.