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A Sound Within
(1982) for piano solo

The three movements of A Sound Within, which is affectionately dedicated to Lawrence Moss, are characterized by recurring pitches and intervals placed in specific registers. Some of these sounds retain this registral placement throughout the piece. The structural intent of these repetitions is the sense of small and large–scale variation which results as each recurring idea is continually placed in new surroundings. The title of my piece is drawn from lines of Yosano Akiko (1878–1942), one of Japan's greatest poets:

Amidst the notes
of my koto is another
Deep mysterious tone,
A sound that comes from
within my own breast.

Translation by Kenneth Rexroth. Copyright © 1974, 1976 by Kenneth Rexroth.
Used by permission of New Directions Publishing Corporation. All rights reserved.

—Robert Gibson

duration: ca. 7:30