12 Variations in S-Mode

for piano solo

[2:47]

This was a graduate school work, written for Alexander Goehr's Yale composition seminar.  An experiment in synthetic modes, it is built on a chaconna-like theme inspired by that of Beethoven's 32 Variations in C minor, which I was performing at the time.

Its principal mode is heptatonic, with two augmented 2nds, keyboard symmetry, and a leading tone at the "wrong" end.  Respelled here for convenience --

C C# D# E G G# A (C).

Treated at first alternately, then later in combination, is its pentatonic complement --

A# B D F F#.

I was urged not to throw the work out, as "there are thousands worse".

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