Hors d’œuvre (2011)

piano
1 min. 30 sec.

This ever-so-brief piece was commissioned by pianist Antti Siirala for inclusion on a recording of Schubert’s great “Trout” quintet, in which each of the performers was asked to provide a short “reflection” on the famous song theme upon which Schubert built his variations movement. The title was meant in both its senses, one culinary, the other semantic, meaning “outside the main work.” I was not attempting to meld my own language with that of a composer I much admire, only to muse for a moment on various fragments of a catchy tune, and to maintain the good humor and sly wit of the original song.