Australian Music Centre | Breaking sound barriers

Work Overview

When Vanessa Sharman was preparing for a performance of my 'Piano Sonata 9' in 2019, she asked me if this work indicated a new direction in my music. As I was unable to say one way or the other, I spontaneously replied that I would answer it by writing No.10. hence my sub-title, 'my answer to a question'. Other musician friends and close colleagues who know, pretty well, the great bulk of my music, particularly over recent years, have asked me that question, but more in relation to my nine works done in collaboration with librettist, John Honey. I think perhaps the catalyst for any perceived change or new direction would have been our opera, 'The Bushranger's lover', of 2012. For that work I developed a freely chromatic style which allowed the momentum to flow more naturally as the narrative really demanded. Following works, I think, bear the evidence of that experience. I'm also aware that Vanessa hadn't had the opportunity to hear any of my ensemble pieces of recent years.

'Piano Sonata 10' is in 2 movements. Its duration is, apart from No.4, the shortest of the series. As I was working on the second movement I realised I wanted to conclude the work with that movement's quiet overall restful quality, strongly contrasted to the restlessness of the first. I now think, in retrospect, No.9 was of a more abstract nature than earlier (but reasonably recent) piano pieces. No.10 is even more purely so, as it makes no reference to external stimuli that I am conscious of.

Work Details

Year: 2020

Instrumentation: Piano.

Duration: 13 min.

Difficulty: Advanced

Dedication note: Dedicated to Vanessa Sharman

Written for: Vanessa Sharman