Classical Music | Piano Music

Brent Heisinger

A Walk Within Winter  Play

Donna Stoering Piano

Recorded on 05/01/2010, uploaded on 05/01/2010

Musician's or Publisher's Notes

A Walk Within Winter              Brent Heisinger

Composed for and dedicated to San José State University alumna Donna Stoering, this piece was premiered by her at my retirement concert. Inspiration came from a serigraph by Melanie Gendron reflecting her summer's stay with her Native-American grandmother. Essentially there are three sections. The first is a quiet, ethereal passage using only five notes with three of them held by the sostenuto pedal allowing quick gestures to produce sustained sounds. It is indeed a reflective setting. The second part explores a three-strand texture: a high, fast repeated note drone, a slow chordal middle range texture, and a loud counter-gesture that enters sporadically.  This is followed by a very rapid repeated eighth-note section with asymmetrical accents providing the unexpected. A brief return to the second section followed by the first ends the work. Donna has performed it throughout the world.      Brent Heisinger