Five Works for Violin and Piano

These five works for violin and piano span a thirty year period. "Mountain Song" was sketched during a hike at Pinnacles National Park in California, and expresses feelings of the mystery of those beautiful peaks, and a freedom where the earth drops away. The Waltz in A suggests an earlier era - perhaps old Vienna, with its lyrical and elegant melody. The melody for "Tango del Sue o" came to me in a dream, and is an unusual piece for me - in that it is very different from my usual melodies, with its Latin American flavor. The Waltz for Karen is dedicated to Karen Carpenter, and expresses some of the simplicity and honesty I find so appealing in her singing and spirit. The Bagatelles express three contrasting moods. "Vienna" is dedicated to the place, both real and imagined that, as a lover of the great classics, is like my heart's second home. "Legend" has a Celtic feeling, and springs from my Scottish roots. And "A La Baroque" is my homage to one of my favorite musical periods.