The Benoni | Joshua Kyan Aalampour

"The Benoni" is a piano piece I composed inspired by both the Book of Genesis and chess. I chose the title because I wanted the music to reflect the bittersweet nature between loss and hope. "Benoni" is Hebrew for "son of my sorrow" and comes from the biblical story of Rachel, who names her son after she knows she will pass away. The title also references the Benoni chess opening, an unconventional move that I find beautiful. My favorite games include Tal vs. Gurgenidze (1957), Fischer vs. Spassky Game 3 (1972), and Kasparov vs. Korchnoi (1982). The piece contains several musical references: there’s a direct modulation down a minor third at 0:23, from Dm to Bm, which has a bittersweet quality; the piece then modulates from B minor to F minor—a tritone modulation that evokes heartbreak or emotional pain; my leitmotif is quoted at 1:10 and 1:34; the main theme is blended into my "Raindrop Waltz No. 1 in B Minor" (2020) at 1:12; and my piece "Reverie" (2020) is referenced at 1:28.