Focusing on the closing of summer, the need for companionship, and the loneliness of life, the evocative German text is mirrored by the instruments and voice in their reflection of the poetry's somber mood. Harmony is at times very dissonant, but so is Rilke's message. I have been composing for a number of years, but this is the most complex piece I have written to date. As a pianist, my knowledge of the capabilities and shortcomings of both strings and the voice was minimal before I undertook this project. A problem that I continue to work at is trying not to get the five players to sound like they are constricted to one pianist playing all of their notes.
Violins can do totally different things than pianos, and vice versa.
It was understanding and at times incorporating these differences that I tried to understand while writing and rewriting the pieces.