David Evan Thomas

Variations on Dona nobis pacem

The singing of Dona nobis pacem is an annual holiday tradition at the Eastman School of Music. I wrote the Variations on Dona nobis pacem to play at a gathering of University of Rochester alumni in November of 2016. In creating a solo piano piece from vocal material, I introduce the tune alone, then its bass, which is similar to that of Bach's Goldberg Variations. Nine variations and a finale follow in a variety of styles that recall Classical and Romantic-period composers. -David Evan Thomas Duration: 6:30