"Herzenskummer" Trio Sonata (For Violin, Cello, & Piano) By S.M. Ricke

When I composed this sonata, it came quite naturally to me from the moment I wrote down the first motif on paper. From there, it seemed to come out of me without much thought, and to this day, I am quite astounded at how quickly I wrote it (two days). Nevertheless, I see it as an expression of deep grief, hence the name "Herzenskummer" (German for "heartache"), and although it is the offspring of my personal sadness, my hope is that the listener can personalize this music to process their own grief; a feeling which we all share from time to time.

Many thanks to the University of Northwestern-St. Paul for facilitating this performance, and special thanks to Grace Abt (Violin), Ingrid Tverberg (Cello), and Cora Tsang (Piano) for graciously lending their talents to my small work. I am truly grateful. To God be the glory.