Elegy_(Kernis)
Elegy (Kernis)
Musical composition by Aaron Jay Kernis
Elegy – for those we lost (sometimes written as to those we lost) is a musical composition written in May 2020 by the American composer Aaron Jay Kernis. The piece was written during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic in the United States shortly after the composer had recovered from a mild case of the illness himself and is thus dedicated "to beloved victims of COVID-19, and their families, in mourning." It was originally composed for solo piano and was virtually premiered by the composer on YouTube on May 15, 2020.[1] However, Kernis later made arrangements of the work for various other ensembles, including harp and trumpet duet, string orchestra, and orchestra, among others.[2][3][4] The piece is cast in a single movement and lasts about six minutes.[1]