ББК 78.082.2:786

А73

ISBN 978-5-907839-99-1

46 с.

"Four Minimalisms" for piano solo was composed in the spring of 2024. The cycle consists of contrasting, multi-character miniatures that employ the elements of minimalist technique. The 1 st movement is called "The Tale of How I was in a Hurry and Got Late" and is comic in character. Music can be an illustration of a story when a person is in a great hurry and is fussing more and more every minute, but then realizes that he is already late and resigns himself to the situation. In music, it looks as follows: the first eight-bar’s musical construction is played in Moderato giocoso tempo, with each subsequent one being held at a more movable tempo, increasing by four metronome units. With each acceleration of tempo, the dynamics also intensify. The tempo gradually accelerates to Presto con bravura (the climax of the piece) and then slows down in sharper spurts to 104. At the same time, the dynamics in the ending gradually decreases to "ppp". In addition to that, the harmony takes a rather unusual path: specifically, with acceleration, each successive musical construction shifts upward by semitones, starting from the "C" note and arriving at the "C" an octave higher at the end. Furthermore, these tonal shifts do not always occur in two hands simultaneously, at the expense of fragmenting polytonality. The 2 nd movement of the cycle, "When You've Lost Something and Can't Find," contrasts the first one, both in terms of pacing and character. The music is distinguished by lyricism, transparency of texture and is entirely constructed in the high register of piano. The 3 rd miniature, entitled "Fury," is the overall climax of the cycle. The piece is notable for its technical complexity and requires a high level of performance mastery. It is played at a frenzied tempo ( Presto feroce ) and has a toccata character. The piano is interpreted here as a percussion instrument. The final movement of the cycle, "Maintaining the Balance," is performed in Lento cantabile tempo. The piece sounds on one pedal from the beginning to end. It differs by its long and stretching sounds predominantly on "p". The piano cycle “Four Minimalisms” can be useful to professional composers and musicians, as well as concert pianists interested in contemporary piano repertoire.