Chamber Piece 1

'Chamber Piece I' is one of my first major compositions. Even though, there are obvious influences from Claude Debussy's "La Prelude d'une Faune " and the pounding chords of Igor Stravinsky's "The Rite of Spring," none of these references are used in their original form. The music has been mentally absorbed and regenerated in this work. The individuality of this piece can be seen in its use of thematic material. Despite the fact that this piece was totally unplanned, it has a carefully crafted structure. Virtually all of the material is derived from the initial flute theme. Also, the transparency of the orchestration has a delicacy that is in my opinion somewhat unique. Although this could never be referred to as one of my 'mature' compositions, it is one of the earliest works that made it possible for me to take a vital step forward as a composer.