A Diminished Thing

for solo piano (2004)

I started A Diminished Thing while living in Vermont in the summer of 2004. The forests in Vermont are thick with deep greens in the summertime and tall canopies block out most of the sun. During several long walks through the shadowy forest, I was surprised to find myself suddenly in a field of only low-growing ferns and filled with the bright light of midday. A Diminished Thing, which relates to the perception of change I experienced in Vermont, consists of seven sections, each with a fairly homogenous identity, quickly juxtaposed without transitions. The title is from a poem by Robert Frost.

(Emily Manzo – piano)

This recording can be found on Every Morning, A History (2006, Peacock Recordings)

[audio:A Diminished Thing.mp3]