Piano Sonata
op.8 (1988-1990)
This work stands at the end of a first period of composition mainly filled by youthful trials and style exercises. This Piano Sonata written from 1988 to 1990 (and slightly revised in 2002) announces the more minimalist manner of writing that is to follow in the next works. Nevertheless, it has nothing from the brilliance one can expect from minimalist music, for the general mood is rather dark and the economy of means is used to underlie the obsessional character of the work.
The first movement called Ostinato is written in a strict sonata form and is built on an obsessing theme of four notes (actually those of the double-bass strings EADG). The rhythmic is swinging through the whole movement, but the general mood is rather unquiet.
The Passacaglia theme corresponds to the second theme of the Ostinato, followed by its inversion. This theme in 7/4 time is 7 bars long and there are 7 repetitions (or variations) of it.
The sonata ends with a Continuum, a continuous flow of semi-quavers using repetitive techniques, and from which emerge occasionally the main themes of the preceding movements.
