Fragments of Gratification
for solo piano
(2000)
duration: 2’
GRT • 77
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…