Hodge: 2 Night Pieces for EH/Oboe and Piano

2 Night Pieces for EH/Oboe and Piano by Matthew Hodge

2 Night Pieces is a composition by Matthew Hodge, originially for violin and piano, that unfolds in two movements—Nocturne and Lullaby. The Nocturne was written in a little more than an hour in late May 2022, and was inspired in part by Lili Boulanger's Deux Morceaux pour Violin et Piano. This movement captures a restless night. It is slow and melancholic, characterized by a minor key and a deliberate avoidance of perfect cadences. The Nocturne, with its harmonic inventiveness, draws the listener into a world of haunting beauty.

In stark contrast, the Lullaby, which was written first, is light and peaceful, beginning as a solo piano piece, born from Hodge's study of Chopin's Berceuse. Feeling a desire to expand its melodic elements, Hodge introduced the violin to carry the melody. He would work on it in the car on his way to his weekly viola/violin lessons. He finished it over the month of April and early May of 2022. The Lullaby, with its rocking motion and major key tonality, exudes a delicate charm, alternating between the tension and resolution of V and I, in stark contrast to the Nocturne. It builds to a climax as if the baby has fallen asleep and is dreaming, then fades away to the end.

The juxtaposition of the two movements is striking. The Nocturne, slow and sad, stands in stark contrast to the Lullaby's faster, happier demeanor. The first movement's exploration of the lower register using the English horn is contrasted with its higher register in the second movement, which is played on the oboe. Yet, despite their differences, they form a cohesive narrative. Described as having "harmonic inventiveness," the Nocturne showcases Hodge's ability to explore the expressive possibilities of the English horn, while the Lullaby has been praised as a "lovely, delicate lullaby," emphasizing the tender interaction possible between the oboe and piano.

2 Night Pieces for violin and piano earned Hodge recognition as a finalist in the 2022/23 Music Teachers National Association (MTNA) Junior Composition Competition, a prestigious national competition. In May 2023, the version for English horn/oboe and piano was published by Hodge Products Inc.. Along with the violin version of this piece there is also a version for viola and piano. When listening, pay attention to the way the two movements interact and how they contrast from one another.

Premiered on violin by Zander Chang and Matthew Hodge

10 March, 2024, at Hunter J. Smith Auditorium, The Center at Belvedere

About the Composer

Matthew Hodge is a 16-year-old classical music composer and musician in the mountains of central Virginia. Matthew was a finalist in the Music Teacher's National Association Junior Composition Competition in 2023 with this piece. An important aspect of composing music to Matthew is to make it simultaneously beautiful to listen to and academically interesting.