Since I normally title my works on non-musical concepts, composing for such a classically centered

instrumentation got me thinking of 'absolute' music, where I could write a multi-movement work based on

form, rather than concepts.  I therefore found the ideas for this piece in other abstract music, with each

movement developing an idea that comes from my own impression of these composers "ideals." 

I -  Feldman and Varese

II - Beethoven and Reich

III - Debussy and Ives (dedicated to Nomi)

IV - Ferneyhough and Barrett

May be performed as separate movements or as a complete set.   

L’idée sans l’ideal was written in Dar es Salaam, Zanzibar, New York City and Redondo Beach from April to September, 2005. The second movement and minor revisions of the first movement were added in

January 2007 in New York. 

Premiere of the movements I, III, and IV took place in New York City, September 18, 2005, by the Cabrini Trio (Andrea Schultz-vn, Michael Finckel-vc, Christopher Oldfather-pno), for whom those movements were written. 

Complete Premiere took place on January 26, 2007 In New York, by Andrea Schultz-vn, Michael Finckel-vc, and Richard Carrick-pno.

Durations:    

movement I - 6 minutes

movement II - 3 minutes

movement III - 4 1/2 minutes

movement IV - 4 minutes