Harpers Ferry

Harpers Ferry

In 1783, Thomas Jefferson visited Harpers Ferry and called it "perhaps one of the most stupendous scenes in nature." Here is the scenic confluence of the Potomac and the Shenandoah Rivers surrounded by mountains. . Here is the historic B & O Railroad Potomac River Crossing. Here also, George Washington proposed the establishment a federal arsenal, begun in 1799 and it was this arsenal that the abolitionist John Brown raided in 1859.

In the carillon music Harpers Ferry you will find variations on the tune “Shenandoah” and, in the middle section, harmonic references to the tune “John Brown’s Tune”, also known as “John Brown’s Body.” Also there are musical references to the spaciousness of the vista and the chugging of the B & O Railroad trains. The piece concludes with a contrapuntal invention on thematic material from “Shenandoah” followed by a short coda that repeats the spacious introductory material.