Homage
for solo piano
(1989)
duration: 3’
GRT • 008
score available from
Australian Music
Centre
program note
Professor Peter
Dennison (1942-1989) once remarked that contradictory
accidentals juxtaposed in different parts should be
referred to as ‘cross–relations’ and not ‘false–relations’
since the term ‘false’ might imply that there was something
wrong with them. The idea behind cross–relations
subsequently became important in my writing. Dennison
always taught that dissonance is the life–blood of music,
and this is a premise upon which my music is based.
This homage is composed around a cross–relation motive,
which is loosely in the style of Bach, being the style in
which Dennison tutored us. The inherently chromatic nature
of the motive, however, leads it into harmonic territory
more closely associated with composers like Shostakovich.
My part, as composer of this homage, was perhaps secondary
to my desire to pay an academic debt to the professor
within a style that he understood and was capable of
imparting with remarkable clarity.