April 29, 2020

Earlier this month, drone footage surfaced showing bodies being buried on Hart Island in a mass grave – part of a potter’s field for the poor and unclaimed to be used for victims of the Covid-19 virus. Hart Island has served New York City through several epidemics when the scale of death is unprecedented to its current generation. At least 1000 unclaimed bodies are buried on Hart Island every year, and more than 1 million can be found in the plots of its potter’s field, known as City Cemetery. Many of these deaths include the souls who once resided in the bodies of people who are alone – from the homeless to those who have lost all family and friends.

We often forget about those who are alone.

GW

Elegy (for the Forgotten) uses themes from the second movement from my Duo Sonata. It is six minutes in duration.