Kindred Spirits is a diptych, an aural portrait of two friends. Whether referring to the performers or to individualized portraits of the composer's or performer's friends, the concept of one family joined together by sound is crucial to a duo. In concept, in interpretation, the unity of a combined singular vision, shared through experience or inclination, is a precious basis of the communication among listeners and performers.
Dragon was written in 2003 for my closest friend, James Linkenhoker, as a movement of Piano Sonata #6 in c minor, "Bestiary, con Amore". "Pastorale" for written for solo piano for my then wife, Barbara,in 1995. This composition has previously been arranged for several instrumental combinations, including flute and piano, guitar and violin, and as the second movement of my Piano Concerto. Dragon has been arranged for 2 pianos, four hands, for Quattro Mani. This arrangement for guitar and piano was completed with the invaluable assistance and encouragement of Francesco Di Giandomenico.
I have always encouraged arrangements of my compositions when performers feel that either another instrumental combination might sound well, or that sets of smaller pieces might arrange into suites, as with my guitar preludes. Even with Kindred Spirits there was debate as to the order of the two pieces, and if performers wish to reverse the order, ending with Dragon, that's an option that provides a quite different perspective on the emotional arch.
