Letter No. 1

A composer is fortunate to be asked for work in the form of commissions, but there are times when one writes simply because they have something they need to say.  Letter no. 1 was inspired through conversation with Yuan-Qing Yu about the act of writing letters as a way of entering and deepening relationships.   Writing a musical letter seemed a natural extension of this idea so inspiration took the form of this first letter to Yuan-Qing.  The score was written without her prior knowledge, much in the way a letter is written, and upon completion was delivered directly to her mailbox.  The piece is not couched in extra-musical reference, but more of a conversation; a conversation that begins simply and evolves into ever expanding ideas, relationships and meanings.  In a very direct way, the 3-note and 5-note rhythms in the opening melody become the basis of ever-expanding relationships. These rhythms are heard simultaneously at various speeds and ultimately the relationship of 3:5 dictates differentiated tempos between the violin and the piano where each voice possesses its own inner pulse yet both voices are completely engaged in the act of unfolding the idea.  Through this process, the music indulges in a great variety of emotional states and poignant reactions without feeling as if the thread is ever lost.  This work was written for and dedicated to Yuan-Qing for the artistry she brings to her music and to all of her relationships.