Fragments of Gratification
for solo piano
(2000)
duration: 2’
GRT • 77
video
audio sample
score
available from
Reed Music
program note
This collection
was devised by Damian Barbeler, Barry Cockcroft, Stuart
Greenbaum and Adam Pinto in haphazard fashion at a dinner
party, in October of 1999. After several reds, the proposal
emerged that we write solo piano pieces for Adam,
entitled Fragments
of Gratification.
This idea grew into a collection that now features 20
Australian composers. Each was invited to submit a
miniature for solo piano, written on any single day between
the new year’s eves of 1999 and 2000, capturing a personal
response to the theme, Fragments of Gratification. Some of
the fragments have been spread over two pages for ease of
performance, but all were submitted on a single page.
The fragments are ordered chronologically in this edition,
though the performer is encouraged to devise their own
performance order. They may play all 20, or a smaller
selection. Aesthetic clues (written by the composers) are
printed at the top of each fragment. Corresponding Roman
numerals can be cross referenced with the list of composers
‘by birthday’ and the full ‘date of birth’ listing at the
back of this edition to help ‘solve’ the identity of the
composer of any given fragment.
The aesthetic clues should appear in the concert program
(with corresponding Roman numerals) in performance order. A
separate list of composers, in alphabetical order, should
also be included with a note encouraging the audience to
speculate upon the matching of clues to composers. The
audience can think about an aesthetic clue, while listening
to the corresponding fragment. If circumstances permit, the
audience may then be invited to submit their guesses at the
conclusion of the concert - the winner being awarded a
nominal or honorary prize…